Marry the Night
by Miss Grace O'Malley
Summary: Damon Salvatore owns a very respectable club in New York City that specializes in adult entertainment. What happens when seemingly innocent Elena Gilbert is recruited for his club? AU/AH
1. Chapter 1

**Kinda nervous about this, it's my first all human fanfic. And it will be Stelena/Delena. I hope you all enjoy. Be sure to leave me a review on if I should scrap it or not!**

* * *

 _You're on your knees,_

 _Begging please, 'stay with me'._

 _But honestly,_

 _I just need to be a little crazy._

What the Hell by Avril Lavigne

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"You're on in ten, Crystal!" A voice called from behind the dressing rooms.

Elena Gilbert smiled at her moniker. Sure, Crystal was a typical stripper name, but Glitter was even worse. She stood in front of her mirror fixing her lipstick absentmindedly as she tugged her bustier down a little lower.

 _Gotta show the goods and make that money,_ she thought.

She hiked up her knee high stiletto boots and laced them accordingly. Her outfit was slightly modest for a place like this. Her blood red bustier and black micro skirt contrasted beautifully with her olive skin. And the shoes were to die for.

She was known at the club as the Teenage Dream. Her eighteenth birthday was when she applied to be a dancer and three months later she was one of the highest paid girls on the payroll.

Don't worry, she was still modest with everything. Outside of the club, she was a proper girl. She went to college and had a respectable apartment, but her money went home to her brother who was struggling through his last year of high school. Technically, she was now his official guardian, but she couldn't make a living in their hometown.

She had moved away two weeks before her birthday, taking some of her college money to use as a deposit on her little apartment and even had enough left over for some furniture.

"Crystal!" Vicki, a veteran dancer, called, "Come on! Two minutes until show time."

Elena nodded, "Okay, Vic. Be there in a sec." One last look at her makeup told her that she looked ready to dazzle. She walked over to Vickie and gave her a smile as she shimmied her skirt up a little higher.

Vicki grabbed her arm and whispered, "Remember, tonight a scout's out there for that club in Times Square. Can you imagine if we got in there? We'd have it made!"

"I'm not going to let a scout throw me off my game," Elena laughed, patting Vicki's arm reassuringly, "I got this."

* * *

Damon Salvatore sat in the back of the club, admiring the dancers as they took their turns on the stage. It was almost the end of the night and he had yet to see a dancer that captured his attention.

 _Too blonde, too old, too fake, not flexible enough,_ his thoughts were loud as he appraised the women like cattle.

The women seemed to either be disinterested in their job or way too eager. He wanted women who were confident and could work the stage to their advantage. After all, he wanted repeat customers and word-of-mouth was such a lovely thing in his profession.

As he brushed invisible lint off of his leather jacket, he was about to stand when the final dancer of the night came out.

Her hair was a chocolate waterfall that cascaded down the smooth olive skin of her back. Her tight little outfit screamed modesty for a place like this, but she presented herself like a panther ready to pounce.

Damon sat up a little straighter as she took the pole.

"Introducing our lovely vixen, Crystal!" The DJ announced through the speakers.

Without a doubt, Damon knew that was just a stage name.

As he caught a glimpse of her face, he nearly choked. How old was she? Her face screamed that she couldn't be older than sixteen, but here she was working as a stripper of all things.

When her clothes slowly slipped off her body, he tried extremely hard not to look. He felt as if he would be dirty for gazing at something so innocent. Besides, he didn't have to look to know that the girl was _all natural_.

Damon decided that he had to have her for his club, no matter what.

* * *

"Oh my God, you were great, Crystal!" Vicki gushed as the brunette found her way backstage after picking up her discarded clothing.

Elena blushed, fastening her top back on, "It was nothing. It was just me letting go for the moment."

Truthfully, working at the club was the only way that Elena managed the memories of her past. She couldn't let Jeremy down when everyone else already had. He was what kept her going every time she felt like quitting.

Elena shook away her thoughts as she began collecting her belongings from her workstation. She didn't want to leave anything behind since she had the next few days off.

Throwing on a sweatshirt and jeans, she pulled her hair up as she grabbed her bag before walking out to the bar to collect her paycheck.

* * *

"Damon, what can I do for you?" Klaus, the owner of the club, asked joyfully, "Not here to pick off my dancers are you, mate?"

Damon took a sip of his Bourbon, eyeing the British man intently, "I'm only interested in one of your dancers. I have a few concerns about her age, however…"

"Ah, you mean Crystal!" He clapped his hands together in understanding, "I assure you, she's over eighteen, but only just. She's been with us for a few months, practically came to me begging for a job."

"Well, I want her," Damon deadpanned, staring at his opponent with determination, "What do you pay her?"

Klaus pursed his lips, "You know I can't discuss wages with you, Damon. But, she makes more tips than any of my other dancers. She's good for business."

"What do you want for her?" The raven-haired man asked, "I'm sure we can come to an arrangement."

As Klaus considered, a woman came up to him, standing between him and Damon, and held out her hand. He narrowed his eyes at her as he spoke lowly, "It's not time for your paycheck. I paid you last week."

The girl shook her head firmly as she placed a hand on her hip, "No, you paid _Vicki_ last week. We're opposite paydays and I need my money."

"Listen here, I took you in when you needed a job," Klaus seethed, his eyes alight with rage, "I'll pay you when I pay you. You work for _me_. Not the other way around, sweetheart."

She squared her shoulders, "So, I guess you don't need me working here anymore then, right? You don't need me? I can get a job somewhere else."

"Try, love. No one will hire you after the recommendation I'll give," the blonde threatened.

She shrugged, "I'll take my chances." She turned around and faced Damon, looking down at his glass, "You gonna finish that?"

He nearly fainted as he saw her face. This was her. This was _the girl_. He shook his head dumbly as he motioned to his glass, "By all means, Miss…?"

She picked up the glass and downed it in less time than he could blink, "Gilbert. Elena Gilbert. Pleasure to meet you."

Before he could respond, she was out the door, leaving only a faint scent of strawberries behind.

* * *

How could she be so stupid? She gave up her job just because her asshole boss held off paying her for a week. She could've stuck it out.

Opening her purse, she fumbled trying to find her keys. She needed to get out of here and possibly into a nice warm bath that would make her forget her rash decisions and stupidity.

Finally locating her keys, she unlocked the car and flung the driver's door open. She threw her bag letting it land haphazardly in the backseat. She honestly didn't care if its contents went spilling everywhere; that was another mess for another day.

"Hey! Wait!"

Elena groaned before she turned around, "Look, if you're going to try to convince me to stay in this crap strip club, you've got another thing comin', buddy."

The man caught up to her instantly and she couldn't help but be mesmerized by his bright blue eyes. His hair was as dark as midnight and that leather jacket did naughty things for Elena's imagination.

"I never got a chance to introduce myself," he said smoothly, as he ran his hand through his thick locks, "I'm Damon Salvatore. I own-"

" _Salvatore_?" She nearly shrieked, "You own the best club in the city!"

Damon smirked, "It's good to know my record precedes me. I actually wanted to talk to you earlier about a job proposition."

"And, let me guess, I screwed it up when you saw what a bitch I was to my boss," she groaned, mentally smacking herself in the head until she got a concussion.

He shook his head vehemently, "Ex boss and no. It makes negotiating with you easier. I'd like to meet with you and my business partner tomorrow morning. Does that work for you?"

"Seriously? Uh, yeah. I'm free any time after ten."

"Perfect," his eyes lit up, "We can meet at my club at eleven."

Elena breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you so much, Mr. Salvatore."

"Please, call me Damon."

* * *

 **Review please! I'm super nervous!**

 **~Grace**


	2. Chapter 2

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think and if I should continue!**

* * *

 _Our eyes light up,_

 _We have no shame at all._

 _Well, you know what I'm talkin' about._

Lampshades on Fire by Modest Mouse

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Elena Gilbert was late. And not in the oh-crap-I'm-pregnant way. It was along the lines of oh-crap-I'm-going-to-lose-my-interview way. After rushing to the bank at nine to transfer money to Jeremy, she had to write out a check for her rent and drop it off at her apartment building.

Looking down at her watch, she cursed. It was already ten thirty and she knew it would take at least a half hour to make it to the club in time. She hopped in her car and threw on her seatbelt before flooring it.

She _had_ to make this interview. If she didn't, she'd be homeless.

* * *

"All right, all right. Where's the girl? And remind me again why I'm doing this?"

Damon chuckled at his brother's lack of enthusiasm, "You're doing this, Stefan, because Enzo is out of town and I'd really _really_ like your opinion on this girl."

"Well, she's late," Stefan tutted, tapping his fingers impatiently against the table, "And that's not a great first impression."

"I'm sure you'll love her. All the men seem to," Damon wagged his eyebrows suggestively as he took a swig of the Bourbon in his glass.

Ignoring his brother's brooding, Damon looked down at his watch. Sure enough, the girl was late, but only by a few minutes. He had to factor in different clocks and times and just assume that she was running on time by her standard.

Since last night, he had unsuccessfully thought of anything but _her_. She just had this way about her that screamed confidence, yet she was still so innocent. It was a heavenly and refreshing combination.

Suddenly, the door to the club burst open and the girl of the hour scurried inside.

"I'm _so_ sorry!" She huffed, clearly out of breath, "I got here a few minutes ago, but it was practically impossible to find a parking space and I had to-"

"You live in New York and you own a car?" Stefan asked skeptically, interrupting her story.

She fumbled as she took of her jacket, "Well, yeah. I'm not from here and having a car is just practical. And you are?"

Stefan bit back a grin as he stood and extended his hand, "Stefan Salvatore. Pleased to meet you."

"I haven't even told you my name yet," she snorted, "I might end up being your worst nightmare."

"Kitten has claws," Damon muttered amused to his glass as Stefan withdrew his hand.

She gave him a dirty look before taking her seat at the table, "Anyway, sorry I'm late."

"It's fine, completely understandable," Stefan said, waving away her apologies.

Damon cocked an eyebrow at him, wondering why he was suddenly so understanding after he bitched about her tardiness.

"Well, moving along," Damon prompted, "We're here to talk business," at Elena's nod he continued, "I can offer you twenty-five an hour and six nights a week. You keep all your tips and provide your own outfits. You'll have your own space backstage, but I recommend you take your things home every night, I don't like dealing with the possibility of stealing."

Elena nodded in understanding as she played with the hem on her shirt. She was only making ten at Klaus' club, but then again she only worked five nights a week.

"So? Is that acceptable?" Damon asked, hoping that she would agree.

She shook her head slightly, "Sixty an hour, five days a week, and at least two weekends of a month."

Damon smirked; she was playing with the king of negotiating, "Fifty an hour, five days a week, and one weekend off a month."

"Perfect," she smiled, her eyes alight with playfulness.

The raven-haired man narrowed his eyes, "How much was Klaus paying you?"

"Not that much," she said with a smile.

* * *

"I like her," Stefan smirked after Elena left.

Damon sighed, "Just keep it in your pants until she's been here for a few weeks, okay? She's literally the best girl I've found in New York. She's even better than Katherine."

"Better than Kat? Ha! I'll have to see that to believe it," Stefan laughed, "But don't you dare let Kat hear you say that. She thinks she's the best in the business."

"She was," Damon admitted, "But an eighteen year-old is trumping her in every single way. Elena's body is literally perfect."

Stefan smiled widely, "I can't wait for tonight. Save me a front row seat."

* * *

Elena's body was alight with nerves. She'd only ever danced at one other club and here she was smack dab in the middle of the most prestigious club in New York.

She walked over to an empty station and set out her makeup. Grabbing one of her brushes, she set to work on making her face look like a masterpiece.

"So, you're the new girl, right?" A voice came from behind her.

Turning around, she plastered a fake smile on her face, "Yeah, I'm Elena."

The woman in front of her was gorgeous. Her chestnut hair hung in ringlets and her eyes were a beautiful shade of brown. All in all, she looked a lot like Elena, but something about the girl was different, crueler.

"I'm Katherine. But everyone calls me Kat," the girl said, extending her hand.

Elena shook her hand, "It's nice to meet you."

"I'm sure. I'm a legend around here," Katherine said, laughing, "I think we'll get along just fine. I just wouldn't go after the Salvatores if I were you."

"Oh?" Elena's eyes widened at her words, "Why not?"

Katherine's smile became malicious as she leaned closer to Elena, "Because they're mine," she hissed before turning on her heel and walking to the dressing rooms.

"Okay, crazy pants," Elena muttered to herself, wondering what the hell just happened.

"Is there an Elena here?" A man called behind her.

She groaned and turned around, not wanting another awkward encounter with someone she didn't know. She raised her hand, "That's me."

"Oh, okay," the man said, rushing over to her with a bouquet of roses in her hand, "These were left at the bar for you. Good luck tonight."

She blushed as she took the flowers. No one knew about her new job and the flowers left a slight uneasiness in her stomach.

Brushing off her nerves, she went and got changed into one of her favorite outfits, a sure moneymaker. Her corset was made of a deep crimson silk while her shorts would be considered practically underwear. She paired the ensemble with black five inch heels that made her legs go on for days.

She could do this. This was better than working at a crappy club and hardly getting paid. Hopefully her first night wouldn't be her last.

* * *

Damon and Stefan sat in the front row, assessing all the dancers and taking notes on how each of them could improve. Some of the girls were newer, like Elena, and didn't have the experience of working the stage like they should. However, others just needed to invest in new outfits or work on their routines.

As soon as Katherine was announced, the men in the crowd went wild. She pranced around the stage and grabbed every bill that was offered to her, yet she was topless within minutes. She didn't make the men work for it anymore; she was all too pleased to rip off whatever flimsy bustier she was wearing.

Damon had to look away from her nudity. He'd seen it too many times and the appeal for fake boobs only went so far. When he hired her, she had never been under the knife in her life. But within months of working there, she was in and out of plastic surgery so often it seemed normal.

"Damn, isn't her body great?" Stefan asked in awe as he watched Katherine work the pole.

Damon snorted, "Natural is always better, brother. If it's more than a handful or a mouthful, it's wasteful."

"Don't let Enzo hear you say that," Stefan chastised, "He loves girls that look like Kat."

"He loves blondes. Katherine's got the body, not the hair."

Stefan merely shrugged his shoulders and continued ogling Katherine's body.

Damon wrote down suggestions for Katherine's routine, hoping that this time she would actually make the suggested changes. She always had such an attitude, thinking that that she always knew what was best.

When he heard Elena's stage name announced, his head snapped up so fast it was almost comical.

There she was, the darkest little angel he'd ever seen in his life. Her heels clacked against the stage in perfect time to the music and her body exuded such an air of confidence.

"Is that Elena?" Stefan turned to Damon, his eyes nearly bugging out of his skull.

"You bet."

The way her hips moved nearly drove Damon insane. She was a perfect performer; working all aspects of the stage and making sure no one felt left out as she danced. He could tell that she was making way more than Katherine as the men kept offering up more and more money.

When she finally whipped her corset off, the men nearly lost their minds. Those little shorts she wore left little to the imagination, but Damon didn't want to imagine. He wanted the real thing.

Before he knew it, her set was over and she collected the dropped money before she headed backstage once more.

"Yeah, she's a hell of a lot better than Kat," Stefan admitted, "Maybe natural is better."

Damon swallowed, trying to get the imagine of her naked body out of his head, "Everything's better when it comes to her, Stefan. Everything."

* * *

 **Be sure to leave a review!**

 **~Grace**


	3. Chapter 3

_Russian Roulette is not the same without a gun,_

 _And, baby, when it's love if it's not rough it isn't fun._

Poker Face by Lady Gaga

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Two months had seemingly flown by for Elena. Everything at the club was going great and she was making more than she could spend. Being a responsible adult, she put money aside out of every paycheck just incase she fell on hard times. She wanted to be prepared for anything.

It was almost the weekend, meaning that she'd be able to travel home to Mystic Falls to check on her brother. She hadn't heard from him much in the past months, but she knew that he took whatever money she could offer him. And, to her, it was important that he was taken care of and happy; she owed him that much.

It was almost quitting time on Thursday and she was gathering her costumes and makeup before shoving them in her duffel bag. She was beyond ready to go home and see her friends. It felt like it had been too long, but she knew why most of them disassociated with her when she moved to New York; no one wanted to be friends with a stripper in such a small town.

She was just about to walk out of the club when a voice calling her name stopped her. She turned to face Stefan and gave him a small smile, "Mr. Salvatore, what can I do for you?"

"Please, Elena, call me Stefan," he laughed as he fell in step beside her, "I was wondering if you had plans this weekend, seeing as you're off."

Elena furrowed her brows as she responded, "I'm actually going home to check on my brother."

"Home? Where are you from?" He asked, genuine curiosity coating his words.

"Mystic Falls," she answered tightly, "It's a small town in-"

"Virginia," he cut her off, "That's actually where my family's from as well. My parents still live there. Damon and I try to visit whenever we're free, but with our jobs, it makes things difficult sometimes."

Elena pursed her lips slightly at the words. She had no idea that the Salvatores were from Mystic Falls; surely she would have known, right? Perhaps he was making it up just to get in her good graces.

Stefan looked over at her, a knowing smile on his face, "You think I'm lying, don't you?"

"No offense," she shrugged, "But a lot of guys have made up crazier stories to get in my pants."

"While getting in your pants wouldn't be a bad thing, I promise I'm not lying," he teased, "My parents own the Boarding House on the outside of town. It's been closed for the past decade or so, but they still live there."

"Oh!" She exclaimed. How on earth could she have been so stupid? She sighed slightly, "The Salvatore Boarding House."

"That would be it," he nodded, "Maybe you could stop by sometime."

She blinked owlishly for a second, "I-I don't think that would be a idea. You're my boss-"

"Actually, Damon and Enzo are your bosses," Stefan corrected her slyly, "I'm merely one of your boss' brothers."

"Aren't you dating Katherine?" She blurted out before her nervousness could wrangle her words.

It was his turn to blink owlishly as he looked at her, "Katherine doesn't date. She has flings. I've never dated her and neither has Damon, but she still feels the need to warn off any new girls from talking to us. I guess she told you the same?"

"She said the Salvatores were _hers_ ," Elena said bitterly.

He chuckled, "I can make up my own mind about who I want to date and Kat certainly isn't on that list. You, however…"

She looked down and felt heat rising to her cheeks as she listened to his words. Stefan was cute, she had admitted that to herself the second she met him. His eyes were a gorgeous forest green and his hair was such a lovely shade of chestnut. He was handsome, no doubt about it. But him being interested in her? Now that was too good to be true.

"Perhaps when you get back, we could go for coffee or lunch?" He suggested, pulling her from her thought of self-loathing, "I'd really like to get to know you better outside of the club setting."

She felt herself nodding, "That would be great, uh, do you want my number?"

"I'll get it from Damon," he smiled, "I'm sure you're eager to get home."

"Thanks, Stefan," she laughed before heading out into the cold, hurrying to make her flight.

* * *

"Damon?" Stefan knocked on the door to his brother's office, "Are you in there?" Not hearing a response, he opened the door anyway and was greeted by the sight of his brother sleeping on the couch.

Sighing, he made his way over to his brother, shaking his shoulder as he called his name, "Damon, wake up. Come on."

"Ugh, haven't you ever heard of knocking?" Damon groaned as he cracked open his eyes, "What time is it anyway?"

"I did knock," The green eyed man pointed out, "You just didn't answer. And it's almost noon. I think you slept away the night again."

Damon groaned louder as he lifted himself off of the couch. He scrubbed his face with his hands as he went over to the tumbler of Bourbon, pouring himself a generous drink. Looking up at his brother, he eyed him carefully, "What did you want? Why did you wake me up?"

"I need Elena's number," Stefan said firmly.

"I can't give out my worker's information, Stef. You know that."

Stefan pursed his lips, "It's a good thing I asked her permission first then, huh? She was in a hurry to leave last night and I said I'd get it from you."

"Why? Going out on a date?" The older man teased, knocking back his glass in one gulp.

"Not that it's any of your concern, but yes," Stefan confirmed, causing Damon to choke on his drink, "I invited her to have coffee and she agreed. You didn't make a move, so I figured I would."

Damon gritted his teeth as he restrained the urge to strangle his little brother, "It's in my phone, feel free to take it."

Stefan nodded, grabbing the phone from the desk and putting Elena's number into his own. He looked over at Damon with a concerned expression, "Does it bother you? I mean, me going out with Elena?"

"Of course not," Damon instantly protested although his mind was screaming at him to tell his brother to fuck off, "If you think she'll make you happy, then go for it."

"She's from Mystic Falls, you know," Stefan said wistfully, "She might want to settle down there one day and then I'll be closer to Mom and Dad."

"Jesus, Stef! You guys haven't even gone on a date yet and you're already trying to plan a future with her?" Damon asked incredibly, "There's no need to rush into things. You're only twenty-one."

Stefan looked down bashfully before meeting his brother's gaze, "Sometimes you just know when she's the one. I've barely had a full conversation with her, but I know that I want her in my life."

Damon kept his growl of possessiveness at bay as Stefan's words played back to him. He knew exactly what Stefan meant because he had felt the same when he laid eyes on her in Klaus' club. Elena was something else, he was certain. She was the light in the world of darkness and he so desperately needed that life in his life. But, Stefan had moved in on her first and he had to respect that.

* * *

"Jeremy!" Elena called into her seemingly empty childhood home, "Are you home?"

After a ridiculously boring flight, she had barely managed to make it inside the house. She was so tired and it was late, but she wanted to check on her brother before she collapsed into the soft bed that was awaiting her upstairs.

"Jer?" She called up the stairs with no hint of an answer.

Just as she was about to give up, the front door opened and a giggling mess of tangled limbs fell through the door.

"Oh my God, Jer, let's do that again!" A girl said as she picked herself up off the floor before extending her hand to Jeremy.

"Uh, hi to you, too," Elena said awkwardly as the pair regarded her wearily, "And you are?"

"Anna," the girl said, fidgeting slightly, "We were just…I'm sorry it's so late, he said your flight wouldn't be in until tomorrow."

"Well, if he bothered to answer his phone, he would've known that I changed my flight to get here a little earlier," Elena said callously.

Jeremy huffed, "And _he_ is right here. Damn, 'Lena. My phone died, okay? I was just out having fun with Anna. It's Friday after all."

"Fine, whatever," Elena mumbled, holding up her hands in defense, "Tomorrow we have things to do though, so don't stay up too late," she turned to Anna, "Do you need a ride home or something?"

"She's been sleeping here, her mom kicked her out," Jeremy explained as he pulled Anna up the stairs behind him, "Hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," Elena said before mumbling, "Not like I'm paying the bills or anything."

"I heard that," he called down behind him before she heard the door shut viciously.

* * *

Morning seemed to come all too soon for Elena's liking. After dragging herself out of bed and readying herself for the day, she walked around the house and took inventory. She noticed that she'd have to replace the sliding glass door at the back of the house since the glass had seen much better days and she had to do grocery shopping.

As she was making a list, Jeremy bounded into the kitchen and grabbed a pop tart.

"So," he said, taking a carnivorous bite out of his breakfast, "What're we doing today?"

"Well, we have to replace the back door and I'm sure that you want food," she sighed, looking over the list, "Have you been doing okay with the money I've been sending you?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I still think you're sending too much though. I'm a teenage boy, not a pregnant mother of three."

"I'd rather you have more that enough than not enough," she chided, "You know that. Besides, you can put aside what you don't use and save it for college."

"Mom and Dad left us enough for college, for the both of us," he said softly, "You can quit your job and move back here. We can live off of it and then you wouldn't have to work in that sleazy club."

"Hey!" She smacked his arm, appalled at his words, "That _sleazy club_ is what's kept us afloat lately. I don't want to tap into our inheritance unless it's absolutely necessary. And, right now, it's not. End of story."

"Fine," he mumbled, pretending to be engrossed with his breakfast.

* * *

Being around Jeremy was stressful sometimes. At times like this she wished that there were someone else who could be responsible for him because she was too young herself to take care of a teenage boy.

"What're you getting? I can't decide," Jeremy asked as he looked over the Grill's menu.

Elena snorted, "Come on, you eat here like every day. Get what you usually get."

"And you're just getting a salad, right?" He rolled his eyes as she nodded, "You can eat whatever you want, you don't have to starve yourself."

"I'm not starving myself," she grumbled, "I can eat whatever I want, when I want."

"Do you guys know what you want?" The waiter said as he walked over, notepad in hand.

Elena looked up and smiled, "Hey, Matt! How are you?"

After dating him for three years, she had left poor Matt's heart in shambles. She had felt awful about it, but she wasn't happy with him. He deserved someone who would love him unconditionally for all the right reasons.

He looked at her sheepishly before he smiled, "I've been doing good. Saving up for college and trying to keep sane in this little town. How's New York? You've hardly been back the past few months."

"New York is good," she smiled slightly, trying not to let her uneasiness show, "I actually started a new job and I'm making more than I'm used to, so I should be home about once a month if I'm lucky. But, I can't say I miss it here."

Matt nodded in understanding as Jeremy cut him off, "So, are we just going to reminisce about the old days or are you here to actually take our order?"

"Jeremy!" She smacked his arm from across the table, "Would it kill you to have some manners?"

"No, no, it's okay, 'Lena," Matt chucked, "Jeremy's just messing around. We've been hanging out a lot the past few weeks. He's just an ass."

"Dick," Jeremy retorted with a wry smile.

* * *

Lunch at the Grill was a sure way to cheer Elena up most of the time, but when Sunday rolled around, she knew that it was time to go home. She would miss her little town, but she couldn't wait to get back to the city. And she definitely couldn't wait for her coffee _date_ with Stefan. He seemed like such a great guy and he was so easy to talk to.

Being only eighteen, she never really gave thought to how the next couple of years would go. She always preoccupied herself with Jeremy and his wellbeing. He came first; she didn't want his childhood ripped away as hers had been.

Saying goodbye to Jeremy was always hard, but as she sat waiting for her plane to arrive, she realized that they had been saying goodbye since their parents died. They were hardly as close as they used to be and she felt as if she hardly knew her younger brother anymore. She kept telling herself it was only one more year until Jeremy would be off to college and she would be less responsible for him.

She had to keep this job at the club; it could potentially pay her and Jeremy's way for the foreseeable future and maybe Stefan could help with that.

* * *

"Does Elena work tomorrow?" Stefan asked as he walked into Damon's office, unannounced as usual.

Damon sighed, "Please come in, Stefan. You know how I miss you when you're not annoying me every moment of every day. And, to answer your question, yes. Elena works tomorrow night. Why?"

"Just trying to plan our coffee date," Stefan shrugged, taking a seat across from Damon's desk, "She flies in tonight and I know she'll be too tired to go out. Monday is the second best option."

"You're going to chase her away with your persistence before you even have a date with her," the raven-haired man scoffed as he turned his attention back to the papers littering his desk. He couldn't let on how much his brother going after Elena bothered him, otherwise Stefan would work that much harder to get her.

Stefan smiled mischievously, "I'll have you know that I haven't even called or texted her since I got her number from you. Restraint, huh?"

"She's either thinking restraint or disinterest," Damon suggested, "Maybe she thinks you're not interested in her anymore because you haven't tried to contact her."

The green eyed man gaped slightly, "Wait, really? I was just trying to give her space; three day rule and all."

"That rule is only valid if you got her number from her, however, you got it from me. Therefore that rule is void."

"Shit!" Stefan jumped up and ran his hand through her _hero_ hair, "I've got to text her or something."

Damon shook his head in amusement as he watched her brother practically run from the room. Perhaps Stefan could mess up yet and Damon could still have a chance. But, he wouldn't hold his breath.

* * *

 **Please be sure to leave a review!**

 **~Grace**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hope you all like this chapter!**

* * *

 _She makes me feel like I'm out of control,_

 _She comes on hot, but she turns ice cold._

 _Her light says stop when I'm ready to go…go._

Wrong Side of Love by Cheap Trick

* * *

Chapter 4

 _From Unknown Number_

 _Hey, it's Stefan. Did you want to grab coffee before work tomorrow? We can meet at Sullivan Street Bakery at two? I hope you had a good trip :)_

Elena smiled down at her phone. She was surprised that Stefan had even texted her; she was sure that he had forgotten all about her since she'd been gone. She quickly sent a yes back to him before she rolled over and sighed happily.

She really didn't want to work today, but she had to. She hauled herself out of bed and made her way to the shower, yawning as she went.

* * *

The bakery was bustling as Elena made her way inside. She looked around, quickly spotting a familiar face.

"Hey, I'm glad you found it okay," Stefan said as he stood up and pulled her seat out for her.

She graciously sat down and smiled at him, "A GPS is a wonderful thing, Mr. Salvatore."

"I thought I asked you to call me Stefan," he said playfully as she blushed. He smiled as he slid a cup of coffee over to her, "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I asked the barista and she said most girls like it."

Elena looked down at the drink, grimacing inwardly at the generic frou-frou coffee covered in whipped cream and sprinkles of all things. She bit back her groan as she smiled at him, "This is great, thank you."

"You're welcome," he nodded as he took a sip of his own drink, "So, tell me about yourself."

She took a brief drink of her own girly concoction and tried not to throw up as she looked him over, "I'm much better if you ask me questions, to be honest."

"All right, what college did you go to? What's your major? Are you planning on leaving the club anytime soon?"

"Wow, right into the deep stuff, huh?" She laughed nervously as she fidgeted, "I, uh, didn't go to college. I haven't had the time yet. And I like working at the club and I'll probably keep doing it for the next year or so."

Stefan's eyes furrowed slightly, "How old are you?"

"I'm eighteen," she said nervously, "I plan on going to college, I just have to get my brother through high school first."

"How old is he?" Stefan asked, still slightly stunned about her age.

She smiled, "He's seventeen. He's been working really hard the past few months to get a scholarship to try to help out. Once the school year is over for him, then I'll think about moving back home."

"What about your parents? Shouldn't it be their job to make sure your brother finished school?" He couldn't hold back his skepticism at why such a young girl would be forced to take care of a brother who was hardly younger than her.

"We've just always been close," Elena shrugged. Stefan may be nice, but she wasn't ready to delve into her past with a man that possibly just wanted to get in her pants, "So, what do you do?"

He noticed the sudden shift of conversation, but let it go, "I graduated from Harvard a few years ago at the top of my class. I currently practice law at a firm on the Upper East Side," he shrugged slightly, "It's not the most exciting, but that's why I try to spend time with my brother; he's always getting into some sort of trouble."

"Law school, wow. That's quite an accomplishment," she said, trying to absorb the information. Why the hell would someone as accomplished as Stefan be interested in a damn stripper? Life just got way too confusing for Elena's small town mind.

"My father is a lawyer. And since Damon didn't seem interested in taking over the family business, I thought I would," he said with a slight smile.

"So, you'll be moving back to Mystic Falls?"

He nodded, "One day. Preferably soon. I'm not that big of a fan of New York, but I wanted some experience before I run my own firm."

"That's understandable," Elena smiled back at him, trying to mask the insecurities that were suddenly assaulting her mind. She looked down at her phone and nearly jumped out of her skin, "Is that really the time?" She looked over at Stefan and gave him an apologetic look, "I'm really sorry, but I was supposed to get to work early today to rehearse."

"Oh, okay," he said, looking a little deflated, "Maybe we could do this again sometime later this week?"

She slapped herself mentally, wanting to escape as soon as possible, "Yeah, that would be great. I'll call you."

* * *

Damon sat in his office, inputting the night's profits into his computer. He was trying to numb his mind from his conversation the day before with Stefan; it ticked him off to no end that Elena had even shown him a spark of interest.

He groaned when his door opened and Stefan walked in looking slightly meek.

"What do you want, baby bro?" He asked through gritted teeth. He really didn't want to hear about his date.

Stefan shifted slightly, "I need advice."

Damon stared at him open mouthed for a moment, before he regained his composure, "And what would you need my advice for?"

"I don't think Elena feels comfortable around me. I mean, she left so suddenly when we went out to coffee, saying she had rehearsal or something and I feel like she said it just to get away from me," Stefan admitted, as he took a seat across from his brother's desk.

Damon's lips quirked into a small smile, "Well, she didn't have rehearsal yesterday, I can tell you that much. Maybe you just came on too strong. Did you ask her about herself or were you concerned about yourself as usual?"

"Of course I asked her about herself!" The younger man said in exasperation, "She changed the subject so fast I nearly got whiplash!"

"Hmm…" Damon murmured, "Maybe she just doesn't like talking about herself."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious. I deduced that much," Stefan sarcastically said, tapping his fingers impatiently on Damon's desk, "But what am I supposed to do? I want her to open up to me and feel comfortable."

Damon snorted, "And you thought asking a chronic womanizer would help your plight? Stef, I go through girls faster than I change underwear. I don't bother with the getting to know crap. I get between their legs, get what I want, and get out of there. Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am."

"You're disgusting," Stefan sneered, "You weren't always that way. If you would've never tried to date Katherine, you'd be-"

"I'd be some lovesick idiot, right?" Damon asked, cutting off his brother, "I'd be like you. I'd be looking for a beautiful girl and take her home to meet the family. Sorry, Stef, that's not me. Not anymore." Damon stared down at his desk, trying to reign in his emotions. He couldn't allow his weakness to show through.

"I really think I like her, Damon," Stefan said softly, "I can see myself being happy with her if she'd just let me in."

Damon sighed, "She's eighteen. She's still trying to figure out what she wants in life. She's still a kid." He stood and turned off his computer, grabbing his coat on the way to the door, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to a bar to hopefully get shitfaced enough to not remember this conversation."

* * *

Elena sat in her tiny apartment, wanting to just evaporate into thin air. She hadn't wanted to lie to Stefan, but she knew that she could never make him happy. But, what she really wanted to do was go out and drink until she couldn't remember her own name.

Getting up, she picked out a black wiggle dress and threw it on with some black pumps. Her makeup was still pretty intact from the night before, so she only needed to fluff up her curls a little before walking out the door.

By the time she reached a nearby bar, it was almost noon. She laughed at how she had become a day drinker. She went straight for the bar and took a seat, waiting to be noticed by the bartender.

Her nails clicked impatiently on the bar top as her mind ran through all the possible ways to let Stefan down easy. She didn't want to take him away from his bright future and dating a stripper would definitely do that in the long run. He deserved better and she knew that.

"What can I get you, beautiful?" The bartender asked as he moseyed his way over to her.

Elena recoiled slightly at his term of endearment, but shook it off quickly, "Bourbon. Neat."

With a nod, the bartender disappeared before bringing back her drink. She clinked her nails against the glass and stared down at the amber liquid. Maybe she could scare Stefan off by telling him she was an alcoholic?

"Interesting choice for a girl like you," a velvet voice said beside her.

She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, well, I'm not your typical girl," she retorted as she looked over at the man, instantly freezing when her doe eyes meant electric blue. She stuttered slightly, "Mr. Salvatore."

Damon groaned as he recognized her, "You are definitely not old enough to drink. What the hell are you doing at a bar in the middle of the day?"

"Are you seriously trying to lecture me?"

"Do you need to be lectured?" He countered, his eyes narrowing at her as he pursed his lips.

She sighed, "Yes. No. I don't know."

"What's got you all riled up, princess?" He asked, his eyes clouding with concern.

Elena thought for a second. Her every instinct was telling her to keep her mouth shut, but something about Damon made her feel comfortable. She smiled slightly as she gulped down her liquid courage, "Have you ever met someone that's great, but you know it just won't work out in the long run?"

"Ah, so you _do_ like Saint Stefan?" Damon's eyes gleamed as he reveled in the new information.

Her eyebrows furrowed, "How do you know about that?"

"I'm his brother, Elena," he sighed, "He gloated about it as soon as he got your number from me."

"And here I thought he was humble," Elena said distastefully.

"Stefan's a great guy. He knows what he wants and he goes for it. But, I have a feeling that you didn't come here to talk about him."

She laughed, and he nearly fucking choked with how cute it sounded, "I came to get drunk until I don't have to remember my responsibilities anymore."

"Then what are we waiting for, princess?" Damon asked with a smirk before he turned to the bartender, "Two more over here, please."

After more drinks than Elena could count, she and Damon had progressed onto embarrassing drunk stories.

"I was only fifteen and I was at this stupid high school party in the woods and my boyfriend at the time thought it would be fun to take a walk through the woods. We'd been drinking all night and we got lost. The next thing I know is my best friend's mom, who happens to be the sheriff, is standing above me and wanting to know why I'm half naked under a tree!" Elena burst into a fit of giggles at Damon's wide eyed stare.

"Well, I can't say that I have public nudity under my belt," he chucked, watching her in awe as she downed the rest of her drink, "But I'm still young, it could happen."

She licked her lips, the alcohol giving her courage to say what she would never say on her own, "I doubt any woman would object to seeing a naked Damon Salvatore."

Damon's eyes darkened lustfully as he looked her over, "Does that include you?"

"Well, I'm a woman, aren't I?" She replied cheekily, the alcohol buzzing through her veins and making her bold, "And you're a very handsome man, Mr. Salvatore."

"And you're drunk, Miss Gilbert," he countered with a smirk, "I think it's time you got yourself home. It's already five."

Elena's eyes nearly bugged out of her head, "It's that late already? Shit!" She tried to stand up and nearly fell on her ass. Luckily, Damon pulled her against himself and steadied her.

"Whoa there, angel," he murmured, staring into her chocolate eyes, "Slow down for a minute."

Her eyes traveled from his ocean eyes down to his full lips. She seemed transfixed by them, wanting to feel them against hers, her body. Reaching up, she ran her fingertips against his jaw, smiling at how his eyes closed at her touch.

Hesitantly, she got on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his and suddenly her world exploded. Instantly, he was kissing her back, tracing her lower lip with his tongue, begging for access, which she graciously allowed. His taste was unlike anything she'd ever tasted before; he tasted like danger personified.

He couldn't believe that she was kissing him. A beautiful, sexy eighteen-year-old girl was kissing him in a bar. Shit. There was something wrong with that. He pulled away from her and looked down at her with desire, "Elena, we need to stop or get out of here because I'm literally seconds away from violating you on the bar."

She smiled up at him, her lips swollen from their kiss, "Well, I guess we'd better get going then. My place or yours?"

* * *

 **Be sure to leave a review, oh! And follow me on twitter for updates and such: thevikingswife**

 **~Grace**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

 _Guess it's true; I'm not good at a one-night stand._

 _But I still need love, 'cause I'm just a man._

 _These nights never seem to go to plan._

 _I don't want you to leave, will you hold my hand?_

Stay With Me By Sam Smith

* * *

Chapter 5

Elena waited in the cab while Damon settled up their bar tab. The butterflies that were in her stomach only moments before seemed to turn to dread as her drunken mind processed what she was about to do.

She wrung her hands in her lap as she bit her lower lip. Her nerves were starting to show at the thought of going home with a man for the first time, let alone that man being her boss.

 _Her boss_.

She felt as if a bucket of cold water had just been dumped on her head. There was absolutely no way that she could go through with this. It could jeopardize her job and whatever the hell she had going with Stefan. She owed it to Stefan to tell him that she at least wasn't interested before jumping into bed with his brother.

Making her decision, she hopped out of the cab and down the busy street. Sobering up as she walked, she wondered if she would still have a job to go to that night since she stood up Damon.

How could she have been so stupid? She should have never gone into that bar. She should have never encouraged Damon's behavior. If she _did_ get fired, she knew that she had no one to blame but herself.

Her feet carried her to her apartment building and up the stairs. As soon as she unlocked the door, she felt a sense of peace wash over her. She didn't do it. She didn't sleep with someone who would probably discard her the next day like a piece of trash.

She glanced at her phone and realized she only had a few hours until her shift. Grabbing a change of clothes, she jumped in the shower. She wanted to wash away the events of the day, including Damon's lips on hers.

* * *

Damon grumbled the entire cab ride back to the club. He was angry that Elena had just left him there without a word. If she'd changed her mind, she should've at least had the decency to tell him first. Never in his twenty-six years had a woman stood him up after getting him hot and heavy. It was an insult of the highest order, but he knew that he should've just kept it professional with her.

He sighed as the cab pulled up to the club and handed the driver the money before getting out. He idly wondered if Elena would even bother showing her face tonight after what she had done, but he hoped the answer was yes. Despite being stood up and left cranky, he still wanted to see her. Hell, he'd want to see her even if she walked out the morning after sex with a handshake.

What was going on with him? He doesn't act like this around girls, especially not young and naïve ones.

"Damon?" Stefan's voice called him back from his thoughts as he sat at his desk.

Damon looked up at his brother, his brow furrowing softly, "Why is it that you're almost always here? Don't you have an actual job you should be doing? Or is it your job to royally annoy me, baby bro?"

The younger man sighed, "I get tired of my job. Besides, most guys would kill to hang out here all day free of charge. And, I'm actually hoping I can catch Elena before she performs tonight."

"Why?"

"I'd really like to go out with her again," he shrugged, his green eyes sparkling slightly, "That girl is just…she's great. Amazing, actually. I'm thinking about inviting her home for the weekend."

"She works Friday," Damon said gruffly, "Her next full weekend off isn't for nearly a month."

"You're the boss, can't you tweak something?"

Damon pursed his lips, "I'm not going to tweak the schedule to help my _baby_ brother get laid. If I'm not getting any, you're not getting any."

"What do you mean, you're not getting any?" Stefan repeated in an incredulous voice, his eyes wide with curiosity.

The raven-haired man wanted to smack himself to regain some of his wits, but the damage was already done. Quickly, he thought up a lie, "I'm tired of all the girls here. I've been with most of them and they're all the same. I need some fresh meat."

"Whatever," Stefan conceded, shaking his head in mock amusement as he headed for the door, "Just stay away from Elena, okay? She's a good girl, not one that you need to add to your list of conquests."

Damon shook his head and cursed mentally at how wrong his brother was. Elena was anything but a _good girl_.

* * *

Dodging Stefan took a lot more talent than Elena had originally thought. That man was persistent. Well, he _was_ a lawyer, she supposed. He had tried to get backstage before she went on, but she effectively hid in the dressing room to avoid questions she wasn't really ready to answer. Besides, they weren't even dating. She didn't owe him an explanation or another date. Hopefully he would just take the hint soon.

After her performance, she worked the floor, mindful to stay away from Stefan's section. All she needed was for him to pay for a lap dance and then she'd be suckered in to talking to him. She waited and waited for the clock to reach two so she could finally be done.

Last call was announced at the bar and she felt relief sweep over her body. She grabbed her tip from the man she had been with and headed to the backroom. All she wanted was to get her stuff as fast as possible and get the hell out of here without seeing either Salvatore.

* * *

Damon watched Elena curiously the entire night. Everything seemed spot on with her performance and skills, but he could tell something was preoccupying her mind. Part of him wanted to apologize for what happened at the bar, but the other part of him was still angry for being teased like that. He kept telling himself that she was still young and he didn't have any business being involved with her anyway.

He watched her hurry to the backroom and that's when he decided to apologize to her. Appraising the room, he came up empty of her whereabouts. Confusion swept through him before he realized that she must've left through the back door. _Probably to avoid me and Stefan,_ he thought bitterly.

"Hello, Damon," a sultry voice came from behind him.

He turned around and came face to face with Katherine. He groaned slightly before running his hand over his face, "What do you need, Katherine?"

"I was wondering when you're going to get rid of the new girl," she said, looking down at her nails with interest as a sly smile came across her face, "She's cutting into my profits and she's not even that good."

He sighed, "Elena is a great dancer. People wouldn't come to see her if she wasn't. Besides, you're getting older Katherine. You'll need to find a respectable job eventually."

"Excuse me?" Her eyes flashed to him, filled with anger, "I helped build this fucking club. I should be like a partner or something."

Damon laughed out loud, "You can't be a partner. Enzo and I funded this club; all _you_ did was shake your ass for money. So, run along, Katherine. We're done here."

Leaving a seething Katherine behind him, he walked out the back door to the parking lot. A sinking feeling appeared in his gut as he looked through the cars and failed to find her.

"Come on! I don't have time for this!"

He stopped when he heard _her_ voice coming from the far side of the lot. He made his way over to her and saw her smacking her hands against the steering wheel of her car.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, walking up to her door.

Elena looked over at him and groaned loudly before she mumbled, "I swear, God hates me. First my car and now you."

"Don't I feel loved," he quipped back before his face turned serious, "What's wrong?"

"My stupid car won't start!" She exclaimed, hitting her steering wheel again in frustration, "I just don't have time for this!"

"Because you're avoiding me? Or Stefan?"

She paled at his words before smiling sheepishly, "Is it that obvious?"

"Well, you left the club like a bat out of hell," he smiled, "And poor Saint Stefan is still waiting at the bar for you." He did that famous eye thing of his as he looked her over, "You know, you could always spare him and say that you fell for the older, more attractive Salvatore brother."

She snorted, "I'm avoiding all Salvatores at this point."

"That's really not in your best interest," he chided.

"Why? Are you going to fire me?" As soon as the words were out of her mouth, her olive skin turned white as a sheet and her eyes grew wide.

Damon shook his head impatiently, "I'm not going to fire you on one condition," he paused, but continued as her eyebrows shot up to her hairline, "You go on a date with me. No strings attached, no hidden agenda, no pressure. Just two people getting to know each other."

She blushed as she thought over his proposition. Could she just be friends with a sex God like Damon Salvatore? Weirder things have happened, she supposed. Sighing, she took a deep breath and nodded, "Fine. One date and we can be friends. Deal?"

"Deal," he smiled as he held out his hand, which she shook. He pulled away and motioned to his own car, "Now come on, I'm giving you a ride home. You can deal with your car tomorrow."

"Okay, okay," she relented as she got out of her car and walked towards his, "But you're not coming inside."

"That's what she said," he teased as he opened the door for her, letting her slide into the seat.

She wrinkled her nose in disgust, "Gross."

* * *

Once she had said her goodbyes to Damon and thanked him for the ride, she went up to her apartment and nearly collapsed onto her bed. How on earth could she agree to a date with him? She must've drank more earlier today than she initially thought.

She had to admit that with his raven hair and ocean eyes, Damon was the epitome of handsome. She knew that any woman in the city would happily throw themselves at his feet for a chance to have a date with him. She should be flattered, but having only dated one man before, she was still unsure of how everything worked.

Sighing, she stripped off her costume and pulled on an oversized shirt before she crawled under the covers. She closed her eyes and dreams of a man with bright blue eyes clouded her mind.

* * *

"Damon, did you see Elena leave?" Stefan asked as soon as Damon returned to the club after driving Elena home.

The blue-eyed man nodded slightly, "I just gave her a ride home. Something's wrong with her car."

"She asked you for a ride?" Stefan asked suspiciously, "I was here. She could've asked me."

"I was outside," Damon shrugged, "I offered. It's not safe for a girl like her to walk home and I had to drop off a deposit at the bank anyway. Two birds, one stone. You know how it is."

The younger man relented, "You're right. I'm sure she was just tired and wanted to get home early. Maybe I should head over to her house or something?"

"Stef, it's almost three in the morning," Damon chided him, trying to keep his anger under wraps for the time being, "She's probably already in bed."

"Yeah, okay," he said, defeated, "I'm just going to head home then. Will you be alright here?"

Damon nodded, "Yep. Go home and get your beauty sleep, Steffie."

He watched Stefan leave and he couldn't help it as his mind wandered to doe brown eyes and olive skin. Elena would be the death of him, he was sure of it.

* * *

 **Be sure to leave a review!**

 **~Grace**


	6. Chapter 6

**Enjoy!**

* * *

 _If I've been on your mind,_

 _You hang on every word I say._

 _Lose yourself in time at the mention of my name._

 _Will I ever know how it feels to hold you close?_

 _And have you tell me whichever road I choose, you'll go._

One and Only By Adele

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

Elena sat in the bakery where she had met Stefan almost a week ago. She fidgeted relentlessly at the thought of talking to him. She had texted Stefan as soon as she woke up that morning and asked him to meet her. She needed to set things straight because avoiding him was doing more harm than good.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Stefan said as he took a seat from her across the table, "I had a case I had to wrap up and then traffic-"

She waved away his apologies with a small smile, "Don't worry about it, I understand."

"How have you been? I haven't seen you lately," he said softly, his green eyes looking vulnerable, "I know you've been busy with the club…"

She sighed, running a hand through her chocolate locks, "Look, Stefan. I'm not really ready for the whole relationship thing. You're a great guy, believe me, but I've got to focus on my brother and work and I just don't have time to be a girlfriend."

Stefan pursed his lips, nodding curtly, "No, I get it. The 'it's not you, it's me' speech."

"I didn't mean it like that-"

"I get it, okay?" He stood up abruptly, a grimace twisting his usually handsome features, "I'm just not good enough."

Elena stood up, anger blazing in her eyes as she hissed, " _You're_ not good enough? Goddamn, Stefan, you're a fucking lawyer. You've already graduated college and you have a job and an apartment." She took a deep breath and looked down before meeting his gaze once more, "You're successful and happy and just everything good, okay? I'm…I'm just a stripper in a club who's too complicated for your life. The 'it's not you, it's me' speech is more than applicable right now because it's _not_ you, Stefan. I'm the problem and I'm sorry."

"Elena," his voice was pained as he took in the self-loathing that was radiating off of her small frame, "You _are_ good enough. I wouldn't put the effort into knowing you if I wasn't prepared for the baggage."

Tears swam in her eyes as she grabbed her purse. She sighed, "Maybe if we would have met before I came to New York. Maybe then we would've had a chance."

* * *

"Is there a reason you're skulking at my bar before opening, Stef?" Damon asked as he approached the bar and a rather sad looking Stefan.

"She didn't want me," he hiccupped as he took another drink of the amber liquid in front of him, "Elena didn't want me."

Damon sighed and took a seat next to his brother, trying to keep his slight excitement at bay. Why would Elena get rid of Saint Stefan? He awkwardly patted him on the back and took a deep breath, "What happened, baby bro?"

Stefan turned his red-rimmed green eyes towards Damon and sniffled slightly, "She said she wasn't good enough. She practically said that I deserved someone better." He paused and took another swig of his drink, "God, Damon. You should have seen her. I've never seen anyone hate themselves as much as she did. You could tell that she was upset and disgusted and there was nothing I could do. And then she just walked out," Stefan wiggled his hand in a drunken walking away motion and sighed.

Damon's heart nearly broke at the thought of Elena hating herself. Sure, she was eighteen and working at a club, but he thought it was just for the extra money, not that she actually needed it. Most girls start stripping as a way to get back at their families or have extra pocket money, especially in New York. But the thought of Elena hating herself because this was the only job she could get made him disgusted at _himself_. He should've tried to help her.

"I want to help her," Stefan said as if he had read Damon's mind, "I don't want her to do things she doesn't want to do just because she has to. It's not fair to her."

"Life's not fair, Saint Stefan," Damon mumbled, his own eyes downcast as he was lost deep in thought. Neither of them could help someone who wasn't ready to be helped.

* * *

Days passed as Elena reflected on what she had said to Stefan. He hadn't been at the club or relatively near her since then. What she said had hurt him, but she needed to let him go. Once he met a girl who was in his league, he would forgive her, she was sure of it.

She was getting ready to pack up her things at the club when Damon approached her. Giving him a fake smile, she continued packing up her clothes, "Hi."

He smiled tightly in greeting and Elena couldn't help but notice that something was different. He was looking at her differently than before. Almost with pity.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked, almost afraid of the answer. Ever since her parents died, she had learned to expect the worst when people were quiet.

"What?" Damon asked before shaking his head and his bright smile made an appearance, "Nothing's wrong, beautiful. I was just wondering if you gave any more thought to our date yet."

"Oh!" She exclaimed, a shy smile creeping onto her face, "I-I actually haven't. Isn't that normally the guys job?"

"Normally," he shrugged, "I just don't want to overstep my boundaries with you."

She bit her lip and looked down. She couldn't believe how gentlemanly he was being after they almost went at it in the middle of a bar. She cleared her throat and looked up at him, "Pizza and a movie is always a safe bet. We can have it-"

"My apartment?" He suggested, cutting her off as he smirked, "It's close to here and that way we can do it after work if you would like."

"Your apartment?" She asked uneasily. When he nodded reassuringly, she relented, "All right. But _no_ funny business," she reminded him sternly.

He chuckled, "No funny business. You have my word."

"Tomorrow? That way I don't have to worry about oversleeping on Saturday…"

"Tomorrow is perfect," he agreed, "I'll get the pizza, you get the movie and I'll wait for you after work."

She smiled, "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, Damon."

"Be safe on your way home."

* * *

By the time her shift was over the following night, Elena's stomach was filled with butterflies. She hadn't seen Damon at all during her shift and she was worried that he was going to blow her off. She fidgeted nervously as she packed up her bag. Glancing at her phone, she saw that it was already almost two-thirty.

Groaning, she got up and grabbed her bag angrily. It was clear that Damon had stood her up.

"Going somewhere?" A velvet voice called from behind her.

All of her anger and disappointment seemed to dissipate as she turned to face him. A small smile graced her lips as she admitted, "I thought you stood me up."

He feigned hurt as he placed his hand over his heart, "I would never."

"Good," she bit her lip and looked away shyly, "Are you ready?"

He extended his hand to her and nodded, "Ready whenever you are, beautiful."

She took his hand and allowed him to lead her out of the club and to his car. The drive to his apartment was quick and the ride was quiet, but not uncomfortable. They sat in companionable silence, both with small smiles on their faces.

When he led her into his apartment, she nearly gasped out loud. He didn't own an apartment, he owned a _penthouse_. It was moderately decorated in black and navy and it screamed masculinity. She wandered over to the far wall, which seemed to be made entirely of glass. Peering out, she saw the New York skyline and her heart stopped.

"It's so beautiful," she murmured, the city lights lighting up the sky. She looked over at him, noticing that he was now next to her.

"It is," he replied, staring at her instead of the view.

She blushed and looked away, "Damon…"

"Elena," he mocked back, a smirk spreading across his face.

"I don't think I can do this," she admitted, turning to face him fully and fighting not to get lost in the ocean of his eyes, "I don't think I can be just friends with you."

Damon stilled. Was she really suggesting what he thought she was? Damon Salvatore didn't do relationships. Not since Katherine. His mind argued that he couldn't date a dancer again, but his heart was telling him that he was ready to do just about anything for this girl. Giving her a small smile, he reached out and cupped her cheek softly, "What do you want, Elena?"

"I-I think I want to explore this," she said quietly, "I think I want to explore what we could be. But, if you don't, I-"

He pulled her flush against his chest, pressing a soft, but passionate kiss to her lips. She only hesitated for a second before wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer. Whenever they kissed, it felt like time stood still. Like they were simply made for each other.

He finally allowed her to pull away, needing air himself. Resting his forehead against hers, he smiled as he whispered, "Does that answer your question?"

Elena giggled before looking around his home again. She sighed, "We should probably order pizza and watch that movie, right?"

"Who said anything about ordering pizza?"

* * *

"Where did you learn to cook like this?" Elena asked as she took another bite of the pizza Damon had made from scratch for them, "If I tried to make anything like this, I'd burn my entire apartment building down!"

Damon laughed, taking a sip of the wine he had bought for this particular occasion, "My mom loved cooking and Stefan never really picked up on it. He was more like my father; wanting things done for him. He didn't like doing the dirty work, just reaping the rewards. So, I spent a lot of time with my mom and she taught me everything I know. I even know how to sew a button," he mocked, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

She laughed, trying not to choke as she swallowed her mouthful of pizza, "I can't cook to save my life. I normally just stick with fruit and vegetables because I don't have to do anything but wash them."

"No wonder you're so skinny," he murmured, looking her over again, "If you're dating me, my food will end up fixing that."

Elena swallowed thickly, "I-is something wrong with my body?"

"What?" He looked alarmed momentarily as he took in her self-conscious face, "No! Of course not. I just mean you should be eating healthier and I can help with that. Elena, your body is perfect, _obviously_."

She blushed, looking down, "Thank you. But I still have to watch what I eat. I wouldn't want to lose my job because of weight gain."

"I wouldn't fire you for that," he denied, "That wouldn't make me a very good boss, now would it?"

"Damon…" she hesitated, biting her lower lip worriedly, "You _are_ my boss. How is this supposed to work? I mean, if it ends badly we'll still have to deal with each other."

"And we'll deal with it like professionals," he smiled, taking her hand and rubbing the back of it reassuringly, "We're both adults. We can be civil if this relationship ends."

A smile lit up her face, "So, that's what this is? We're in a relationship?"

Damon shrugged, "Is that what you want?"

"Well, yeah," she said sheepishly, "I don't want you seeing other women and I'm pretty sure you don't want me seeing other men, so-"

"Damn straight I don't want you seeing other men," he said huskily, his voice taking on a sense of dominance, "We're exclusive. Let's just see how this goes."

Sighing, she set down her plate and curled into his side on the couch, "Let's just not go too public with this yet…I don't want people getting the wrong idea."

"People like Stefan?" He suggested casually, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and tucking her head under his chin.

"Well, yeah…" She agreed softly, "You just make me feel safe. I'm not sure why yet, but you do."

He quieted for a second and took in her words. This girl had only really been semi-alone with him twice yet she felt that she could trust him. What the hell had he done that was good to deserve this? Stefan was right when he said there was something about her. She was just so damn loveable and she was able to wrap everyone around her little finger.

"Don't worry, I'd never let anything hurt you," he said softly, nuzzling his nose against the crown of her head.

Elena sat in his arms, smiling softly. She'd never been intimate like this with anyone but Matt and that had never been such a good experience. Damon made her feel like she was flying, like she was more than what she really was. She was lucky and she was happy. She could only hope that things worked out the way she was praying that they would.

"I know," she whispered back as she felt him smile against her hair.

* * *

 **Be sure to leave a review!**

 **~Grace**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi, guys! I know that this update is early, but I felt that you needed a filler chapter. This _hopefully_ will explain some of the rushed feelings and stuff like that. Also, it gets more into their personal thoughts. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Though the pressure's hard to take,_

 _It's the only way I can escape._

 _It seems like a heavy choice to make._

Never Let Me Go By Florence + The Machine

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

Elena woke up to a pleasant feeling. She was enveloped in warmth and she couldn't help but let a smile come across her face. Opening her eyes, she blinked away the sleep and took in her surroundings. Sun was steadily streaming through the apartment and illuminating whom she was so conveniently laying on top of.

Last night came rushing back to her as she remembered falling asleep during the movie that she and Damon had been watching. She was curled on top of him as they lay on the couch, a blanket draped over their forms.

Regret hit her like a ton of bricks as she realized what she and Damon had talked about last night. How could she open up like that to someone that she barely knew? Sure, he'd shown her kindness when she needed it, but it didn't change who she was. _What_ she was. How on earth could she get out of this? Nothing had happened last night, but she felt more than exposed both mentally and emotionally.

Slowly, she extracted her limbs from his, carefully getting up without disturbing him. He only snored louder and flipped on to his side as she looked for her shoes. Locating them near the glass wall, she slipped them on and took a deep breath. Why was she sneaking out? It's not like she had to do the walk of shame or anything, but why did she feel like she had to?

"Going somewhere?" Damon's sleepy voice called from behind her.

She groaned mentally, her face paling slightly as she turned around to face him. He had a small smile on his face as he looked at her, his blue eyes blinking slowly as he took her in. She gave him a forced smile, "I-I just have to get back home before it gets too late. I, uh, thanks for last night."

He sat up, giving her a weird look as he picked up his phone and looked at it before turning his focus back to her, "Elena, it's just barely after seven. We've only been sleeping for a couple hours." Standing up, he walked over to her, noticing how her breathing increased at his closeness. Reaching out for her, he brushed a lock of her hair away from her face as he murmured, "Now, what's the real reason you're trying so hard to sneak out?"

"I'm just, I'm not good at this," she admitted softly, stepping away from him and watching his hand fall limply back to his side. She grabbed her purse from the counter and walked towards the door.

Damon caught her wrist and turned her around to face him, a confused look on his handsome face, "You're not good at what? Staying for breakfast?"

"Look, I haven't been in a relationship in…a long time. And, I just don't want to end up disappointing you," she said quietly, almost causing him to miss what she said.

He laughed slightly, "I haven't been in a relationship in a long time either, but that shouldn't matter. We're in this together, right? We'll just take things as they come."

"I don't do the whole feelings stuff, okay? I don't do the talking, cathartic and feelings exposed type thing," Elena admitted harshly, running her hand through her messy chocolate hair, "And you'll just end up regretting this. I'm not the kind of girl that gets to have happy relationships."

His eyes narrowed as he took in her choice of words, "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm a freakin' stripper for crying out loud," she yelled, throwing her hands up into the air in exasperation, "I don't get the easy life. I don't get to be happy right now, not when everything is falling apart around me. I have to be responsible and careful and a relationship just doesn't fit in with that."

"No, you don't get to do that," he said, his eyes flashing with anger, "You don't get to make me feel something and then talk about yourself like that! Why do you think that you're less than someone else just because you dance for money?"

"Don't you see? I'm…Elena. Just Elena," she said in a small broken voice, causing Damon's hand to slip away from her wrist, "I'm not anything more and I won't be for a while. One day, maybe."

He watched as she gave him a sad smile before she walked out, leaving him alone with his thoughts and his fears. Stefan hadn't been lying when she said that she hated what she was, but then again, he had already known.

* * *

Running. It's what Elena did, what she was good at. She couldn't afford to let herself get too close to Damon when she knew that she'd be leaving soon anyway. As soon as Jeremy graduated high school, she would go back home. Probably get a normal job and go to college. She just had to keep saving her money and barreling through.

Her apartment seemed lonely all of a sudden. After spending time with Damon last night-er-this morning, she had come to enjoy the closeness of another person. Normally, her only extended interaction was with Jeremy when she was at home, but when she was in New York she kept to herself. Less bridges to burn, she would always reason.

One more month is all she had to get through. One month of awkward encounters with Damon and Stefan and then she would never have to see either of them again. She knew she had agreed to start a relationship with Damon, but now she felt as if she couldn't go through with it. He deserved happiness, someone who would stay behind in New York and keep him happy. She had a place in Mystic Falls, a family, no matter how small.

Sighing, she collapsed onto her tiny bed and couldn't help but compare it to how comfortable Damon had been to sleep on. Those few hours she had slept on his chest felt as if she had slept for days. She had felt safe and wanted and loved.

 _Loved_.

* * *

"What's the matter with you?" Stefan asked as he approached a very disheveled Damon.

Damon was sitting at the bar of the club, a bottle of Bourbon in his hand as he waited for the club to open for the night. His cheek was adorned with stubble and it looked as if he had been drinking for a while.

"What does it matter to you, Steffie?" Damon slurred slightly, his ice blue eyes taking longer than normal to focus on his brother, "Can't a guy drink without needing an ulterior motive?"

Stefan sighed and took a seat next to him, pursing his lips as he looked him over, "Well, considering that the roles were reversed last time and you made me talk about Elena, I figured I could show you the same kindness. Brotherly bonding and all that."

"God, what is it about that woman that makes men drink?" Damon bit out sarcastically, "I swear, she makes you care and then she just walks away like nothing ever happened. Like nothing ever mattered."

Stefan's eyes widened in realization and a hint of anger as he tried to keep his composure, "You're drinking because of Elena? What happened?"

"N-nothing," the older man immediately tried to backpedal. He hadn't meant to spill the beans to his brother, especially when he was this drunk. He sighed, "I just meant that why do women make us drink? There's nothing-"

"Cut the bullshit, Damon," Stefan hissed, his green eyes glowing with fury and maybe even a tinge of jealousy, "You and Elena? For how long? God, probably everything she said to me was a lie," he gave a sharp berating laugh, "Man, I'll give it to her though, she was a great actress; all that self-loathing and stuff really got to me. And yet, she was just with you the whole time."

Damon's jaw ticked angrily, "Don't talk about her like that. And, not that it's any of your business, but we weren't together. She agreed to a date last night, everything was fine and then she walked out the door this morning like nothing even mattered. I had her for a grand total of four hours before she ran the other way because she thought that she wasn't good enough for me."

"Damon…" Stefan started, trying to find the right words to soothe his older brother. They had never gone at it for a girl before, but Elena was different. However, she had rejected both of them. She walked away and left them both wanting for what would never happen.

"Shut up, Stefan," Damon said quietly, "Let's just drink and hopefully we'll forget her name all together."

* * *

Monday came entirely too quick for Elena's liking. She felt as if she had hardly slept during the weekend and her mind kept going back to what she had said to Damon. She hadn't wanted to hurt him, but she felt that it was inevitable. And why should she prolong it? Why should she give him a month of happiness, just to snatch it away again? She would leave and they would both be heart broken and she didn't want that. She'd rather have him hate her than end up hurting him.

When she got to the club, she went straight to the back without seeing either Salvatore. She wasn't sure if she could handle it anyway. Quickly dressing in her outfit and applying her makeup, she waited for her name to be called.

Only one more month of this and she would be free. She could go back to being Grayson and Miranda Gilbert's respectable daughter from Mystic Falls. She could go back to the life she had before once she was sure that she and Jeremy wouldn't have to tap into their inheritance for at least a year. She could do this. She would survive and she would be happy.

* * *

Damon's eyes never left the stage once Elena was on. He could tell that something was bothering her, but she was a professional, she didn't let it affect her routine. He knew her well enough to see through her act and he wanted so desperately to go to her and beg her to let him fix whatever was wrong.

Part of him didn't want to watch her perform, mainly because he didn't want to her to think that he looked at her as if she were an object. He didn't want her to feel as if he did this will all the girls that worked for him.

To Damon, Elena was just _more_. She was more than the normal girl that ended up working for him. She a woman that he wanted to know. He wanted to know her fears, her hopes, her dreams, and everything in between. The thought scared him, but he knew it was true. He wanted to prove himself over and over to her and her alone. She was a girl that he could bring home to meet the family, he was sure of it.

He wanted to help her get over her insecurities and help her become the strong woman that he knew she was underneath all of this. But, he would give her space. He didn't want to scare her off right when he was realizing his own feelings. And dumping them on her would be the wrong move, he was sure of it. He would wait and bide his time, slowly helping her until she could accept what a wonderful woman she was and how she had nothing to be ashamed of.

Elena was going to be _his_. Damon was sure of it.

* * *

 **I hope this answers some of your questions. Remember, Damon and Elena are always filled with angst!**

 **Be sure to leave a review!**

 **~Grace**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 _When you know they're your heart,_

 _And you are their armor._

 _And you will destroy anyone who would try to harm her._

When I'm Gone By Eminem

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

"Elena!" Damon's voice called, slightly out of breath as he ran through the back door of the club, "Wait a second, we need to talk."

Elena huffed, hiking her bag up further on her shoulder and turning to face him with an annoyed expression on her face, "All right, then talk."

"What happened? I thought that we had this whole relationship thing figured out," he said, running his free hand through his windswept raven locks, his eyes pleading with her, "I thought that we were together now."

She sighed, "Damon…if we dated, you'd just end up being disappointed, okay? I don't plan on staying in New York for very long. But you live here and I'm not one for trying out long distance relationships."

"But there's nothing saying that we can't be together until you leave. It's not like you're leaving soon anyway," he scoffed, an arrogant smirk coming across his face, "Let's enjoy the time that we have for now and forget about everything else."

She shook her head sadly, "It's not that easy, Damon. I don't like getting attached to people I can't have and you would be unnecessary damage." She began to walk towards her car, leaving him in the parking lot with a look of determination on his face.

"Elena!" He jogged to her, his mouth set in a hard line, "Give me a chance. Please. We're both going to end up regretting this if we don't take a chance now. And, I don't know about you, but I hate regrets."

"And what happens if we regret that we ever did this?" She asked, "What happens if we wake up when our time is out and we realize that this was the worst idea in the world?"

He smiled, "Then it wouldn't be a regret, it would be a mistake. And I can handle mistakes, but the thought of having even one regret that involves you makes my heart hurt."

"Damon…" she searched for the right words, trying to let him know what she was feeling without giving away her timeline. When she left, she wanted it to be a clean break, no messy goodbyes or awkward conversations. She sighed, "I'm leaving soon. I need to know that you can handle that. That you won't beg me to stay."

"Damon Salvatore does not beg," he retorted cockily, "I can handle anything you throw at me, babe. So, let's worry about what we're doing for lunch tomorrow."

Elena laughed incredulously, "What makes you think we're going to lunch tomorrow?"

He shrugged, "Well, you're kind of dating me now. It goes with the territory. And I plan on spending as much time as possible with you before you leave."

* * *

It was early morning when Elena finally got back to her apartment. Being detained by Damon was the worst of her problems as she checked the missed calls on her cell. Sighing at how many times Jeremy's name popped up, she decided to call him despite the early time.

 _Hello?_

"Jer? Is everything all right?" She asked concerned, "You called me like fifteen times last night…"

 _Everything's fine, 'Lena. I just needed some help with some applications. I thought that you had the night off._

"Oh," she breathed a sigh of relief, "No, I only have Saturdays and Sundays off. But, do you still need help? I can-"

 _It's fine. Anna came over and helped me. So, are you still coming for graduation?_

"Of course, Jeremy!" She exclaimed, "I'll be moving back home that weekend, too."

 _You're coming home? And actually staying?_

"Yeah," she mumbled, a little embarrassed that she made plans without telling him, "I just…I'm ready to come home. I want to get out of New York."

 _Then what are you waiting for? Just come home now! What's another month, anyway?"_

"Jer, I'll be home soon, okay? Just focus on school and applications. I'll see you soon, love you."

 _Yeah…I love you, too._

Elena sighed when she heard the click signaling the call was over. One more month and the lease would be up on her apartment and she might as well spend that month working. Besides, the more money she could save up meant the more time she could spend taking classes. And then she would hopefully only have to work part time.

Crawling into bed after she pulled on her pajamas felt like heaven. Her feet were killing her from working all night and her bones felt like Jell-O.

Her mind went to Damon. How beautiful his eyes were and how he seemed to know her without even trying. If she were going to stay in New York, she would be with him without a single question. But it wasn't fair to him for her to drag him into her life when she'd be uprooting herself anyway.

But maybe, just maybe, for the rest of the month she could pretend that she was happy. Maybe she could get a glimpse of that happiness before she left.

* * *

"I'm sorry. Dates just kind of aren't my thing," Elena admitted shyly.

Damon smiled at her from across the table. It had taken some convincing, but he lured her out of her apartment for lunch before her shift. They currently sat at a pizzeria that he swore at the best slice in town.

"They normally aren't mine either," he confided, "I'm not normally a guy that sees the same girl twice."

She fidgeted uncomfortably, her doe eyes staring up at him curiously, "Then why are you doing it for me?"

"You're different," he shrugged, doing that eye thing, "You're beautiful and sweet and somehow you make me want to be better than what I am."

She laughed, "That was cheesy. I mean, I'm not going to sleep with you if that's what you're aiming for."

"Woah, didn't say anything about that, but since you brought it up…" he winked at her before taking a sip of his soda, "I'm not just trying to get in your pants, Elena. I promise. And that's a pretty big promise coming from me."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" She asked dryly, her humor fizzling out at his words.

Damon shrugged, "That's up to you. I'm just trying to be upfront and honest about who I am. I've had a…spotty past when it comes to romance. I haven't 'dated' anyone in a very long time, so I'm a little rusty."

She let out a giggle, "You realize that you just called yourself old, right?"

"Well, not all of us can be eighteen," he retorted, taking a carnivorous bite out of his slice of pizza.

"Why are you interested in an eighteen-year-old, anyway?" She asked him, her brows furrowing slightly, "Are you one of those guys that has a thing for younger girls?"

"I'd like you even if you were thirty," he joked, his eyes glistening with humor.

She smiled, "Good."

* * *

Fumbling with the keys to her apartment, she barely had time to stumble inside before Damon slammed her back against the closed door. Lifting her up, he anchored her against the door, leaving scorching kisses against her neck as her legs wound around his waist.

It had been a week since their first date and everything had progressed relatively innocently. But having his hand on her waist almost all night made something break deep inside her. She knew realistically that she shouldn't get involved with him because she was leaving in three weeks, but a part of her craved him at least once.

They had gone out to a nice restaurant for dinner and she had enjoyed every second of it. She had never really been on a proper date before and Damon had definitely delivered.

"Elena," he groaned against her neck, softly grinding his hips against hers, "I _need_ you."

She whimpered slightly, knowing exactly what he meant and, God, did she need him too. Placing her hands on both sides of his face, she brought his mouth back to hers and kissed him passionately.

He expertly reached his hand between them and hiked up the dress she was wearing. Maneuvering his hand into her silk panties, he began rubbing her clit softly.

"Damon…we can't," she protested weakly, but her body was betraying her. She moved her hips against his hand, desiring the friction she so needed.

He kissed her softly, "We won't. I just…I need to touch you."

Moaning into his mouth, she let everything except the feel of his hands on her slip away. He ran his fingers through her wet folds before plunging a finger deep inside her. Stroking her walls, he groaned softly, "Fuck, Elena. You're so tight."

She whimpered at the feel of his finger inside of her and nearly cried out when he added another one. Throwing her head back against the door, she moaned into the room around her, "Damon…"

"Shhh, let go, baby," he urged her, hooking his fingers and hitting that special spot inside of her repeatedly, "I got you."

His voice was her undoing. Before she knew what was happening, she was screaming as her orgasm tore through her. Somehow during all of that she had managed to end up on her bed with Damon hovering above her.

He placed rough kisses along her collarbone as he took her clothes off, leaving her bare before him. His jaw nearly dropped at how stunning her naked form was. Sure, he had seen her partially naked, but nothing compared to this. She was spread out and oh so willing for him and him alone.

Kneeling between her legs, he trailed kisses up the inside of her thigh causing her to moan softly whenever he reached where she really wanted him.

"Please…don't tease," she whimpered, her thighs still shaking from her previous orgasm.

He smirked against her thigh before delving into her soft folds. As soon as she cried out, he eagerly took her swollen nub into his mouth, suckling on it firmly as he thrust two fingers deep inside of her. She tasted so sweet and he was sure that he would never taste anything this good again in his lifetime. He couldn't get enough of her as he lapped at her silky treasure.

Elena was seeing stars as he worked her over with his mouth. She'd never had anyone do this before; she'd never been intimate like this with a man. These feelings were all new to her, but she knew that she never wanted him to stop. She could feel pressure building in her tummy and she knew she was close all over again.

As soon as he heard her whimper his name, he was nearly done for, but he knew that they couldn't have sex. At least not tonight. The goal was to make her feel as much pleasure as possible and that's exactly what he was doing. He felt her tight walls begin to flutter around his fingers and he redoubled his efforts. Thrusting his fingers into her a little harder, he bit down softly on her clit and she screamed.

"Damon!" Her voice was so husky and needy that she didn't even recognize it at first. Her thighs were shaking and her hips were bucking against his face, yet he held her down and continued his assault, prolonging her intense orgasm.

As soon as she settled down, Damon made his way to lie beside her. He ran his fingertips from her breasts down to her bellybutton, repeating it over and over as her breathing calmed down.

"Wow," she breathed as she turned to look at him, a smile plastered on her face.

He smirked at her reaction, "That good, huh?"

Elena bit her lip and looked down, "I have nothing to compare it to, but it was probably the best feeling in the world."

"No guy's ever done that for you?" He asked in disbelief, "You're sleeping with the wrong guys then, baby."

She shrugged slightly, turning her doe eyes to him, "I haven't slept with anybody. I'm a virgin."

Damon gaped at her momentarily, waiting for her to say that she was joking. He shook his head slightly and tried to compose himself, but he couldn't. He swallowed hard before meeting her gaze again, "You're a what now?"

* * *

 **Be sure to leave a review!**

 **~Grace**


	9. Chapter 9

**Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Like a river flows surely to the sea._

 _Darling, so it goes some things are meant to be._

 _Take my hand, take my whole life, too._

 _For I can't help falling in love with you._

Can't Help Falling In Love By Elvis Presley.

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

Damon sat dumbfounded as Elena repeated herself.

"I'm a virgin," she said softly, looking down as if she were ashamed, "Does that bother you?"

He sputtered, trying to think of an eloquent response, but none came to mind. He really cared about Elena, but thinking about possibly taking her virginity seemed like it made him the bad guy. Finally, he shook his head, "It doesn't bother me at all. I was just…surprised."

"Because I'm a stripper?" She asked timidly, her face heating up as she looked away from him.

"What? No!" He exclaimed, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at him, "I was _surprised_ because you're so damn beautiful. Guys must've been hounding you in high school."

She smiled a little, "I'm stubborn. Always have been, always will be. I wasn't ready so I just decided to wait."

"Well, I hope you don't feel pressured by me," Damon said quickly, "You're under no obligation to sleep with me and I would never force you to. It's your choice how far we go."

"Thank you," she smiled, "That means a lot."

* * *

"Come on," Damon urged her, smiling at how nervous she was.

"No," she shook her head, her eyes wide as she stared at him, "I'm not ready."

He sighed in exasperation, "Come on, baby. Once you try it, you'll like it. I promise."

"Damon…" She said nervously, "What if I don't like it?"

"Then we'll stop. You need the experience though," he joked.

"Ugh fine. Give it to me."

He smiled in triumph as he handed her the California roll. He watched as she popped it in her mouth and chewed hesitantly. When she swallowed, he gave her an arrogant look, "See? Sushi's great! You just have to try it first before you downgrade it."

She shrugged lightly, "It wasn't _that_ bad, but I don't think I'll do it ever again. I'm never really liked fish all that much."

"More for me then," he smiled, starting to devour the rest of the plate that sat in front of them.

Damon had convinced her that while she was in New York, she had to experience all it had to offer. He took her to expensive restaurants and museums. A few bars and clubs. He had even given her extra days off _with_ pay just so she wouldn't have an excuse not to spend the day with him.

Today, their adventure was a restaurant called _Sushi Yasuda_ near Grand Central Station. He had finally convinced her to conquer her fears of fish and try sushi. And while it wasn't the most disgusting thing she had ever tasted, she wasn't eager to try it again.

When Damon had finished the plate, he looked at her expectantly. Creasing her brows, she stared back at him as she asked, "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"No reason," he shrugged, his face lightening up, "I was just trying to think of what I want to do with you for the rest of the day."

"What, no museums or restaurants left to harass?" She teased him, a smile on her face, "Maybe there's a festival or celebration we can crash."

"A party crasher?" He asked in mock horror, his hand settling over his heart in a dramatic way, "Elena Gilbert, what have I turned you into? What happened to the sweet little girl you were before I corrupted you?"

"Ha ha," she exaggerated, "You're _hilarious._ "

He did that eye-thing causing her to laugh as he replied cockily, "Oh, _I know_ I am. That's one of the reasons you're dating me."

"Well, we could always have sex," she grinned deviously, "That's one thing we haven't done yet."

His eyes got as big as saucers as he stared at her in shock. He tried to come back with a witty reply, but all words seemed to die into a sputter on his lips. _Was she serious?_ How could she be so nonchalant about this? He could feel his heartbeat pick up as his brain tried to catch up with her words.

"Damon? Are you okay?" She asked, worry clouding her face, "I was just kidding about having sex. I thought it would be funny…"

He let out a sigh of relief and sadness, his entire body relaxing as his brain started functioning again. "Of course you were," he said gruffly, embarrassed about how he had acted, "You almost gave me a heart attack."

"Well, _grandpa_ , should I take you to the hospital, then?" She teased, taking a sip of her water, "I mean, I haven't been to a New York hospital yet."

"Hardy, har," he said dryly as he put money down on the table for their meal, "Let's get out of here. Maybe we'll go walk around Central Park."

Elena nodded, still confused as she grabbed her purse and followed him out of the restaurant. She didn't think her little comment would affect him this much, but apparently she had been wrong.

* * *

"Elena!"

Elena sighed, not wanting to turn around and face the owner of _that_ voice. Her shift had just finished and it was one of the few nights that she was alone for the week because Damon had to catch up on accounting. For once, she was looking forward to getting back to her apartment and sleeping since her job had been a little more hectic tonight.

Instead of pretending she didn't hear him, she turned around and plastered a fake smile onto her face, "Hey, Stefan. What's up?"

"What's up?" He parroted, his face taking on a look of sarcasm before turning into anger, "What's up is that I hear you've been spending a lot of time with my brother lately."

She shrugged, trying not to let her body language give away her pseudo-relationship or whatever the hell it could be called, "He's my boss, Stefan. He's been giving my advice and pointers on how to be a better employee."

"Do you really think I'd buy that load of bullshit?" He sneered, taking a step towards her as his green eyes narrowed menacingly, "I've been around my brother for a _long_ time, Elena. I know how easy it is for him to lure women into his bed."

"It's not like that, Stefan," she argued, because in all reality she hadn't even seen Damon naked. Sighing, she tried to calm him down, "We're just friends. He's my boss and I can't exactly tell him that I can't be his friend because he could fire me."

Stefan's jaw clenched, "Then how come I still think you're lying to me? I'm a _lawyer_ , Elena. It's my job to know when people are lying and right now that's exactly what you're doing."

She panicked slightly. She had never seen Stefan angry before and right now he looked on the verge of rage. Her phone was tucked into her purse and she knew that she would never reach it in time to call anyone. Even if she screamed, it was New York for crying out loud, people screamed all the time.

Slowly, she began taking steps back to her car, trying to diffuse the seemingly dangerous situation, "I-I should really get going. It's already late and-"

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Elena!" He yelled, pushing her against her closed car door. His hands were placed on either side of her head, caging her in. He leaned his head in closer to her, their noses almost touching as he spoke, "So, what _are_ you doing with my brother?"

"I-I don't k-know what you m-mean," she stuttered out, her small body shaking slightly as she looked down.

Stefan laughed harshly, pushing himself away somewhat as he kept her caged against the car, "You know, I thought that you were telling me the truth when you said that you weren't ready for a relationship. And I was willing to wait. But then, I see that you've been slutting it up with my brother of all people!"

"Stefan, it's not like that-"

"I know that Damon can say a lot of things to get what he wants," he cut her off, his eyes blazing, "What did he promise you? Better hours? More clients?" Suddenly, he grabbed her by her upper arms and threw her roughly against the car causing her to squeal in surprise as he continued, "Or maybe you just enjoy being one of my brother's whores!"

" _Stefan_!"

Stefan paled dramatically as he heard the voice as Elena relaxed slightly as she turned her head to see Damon standing a few feet away with a venomous expression on his face.

"Hello, brother," Stefan seethed slightly, turning his head to look at Damon as he kept his hands on Elena, gripping her as tightly as he could, "Can I help you with something?"

Damon strode haughtily over to the pair before he wrapped his hand around one of Stefan's wrists. "Remove your hands from her before I remove them for you," he bit out, the threat clearly present in his voice.

The younger man clenched his jaw as he gave her arms one last painful squeeze before dropping them to his sides. His green eyes bored into blue ones as he all but growled, "This isn't over." Turning away from Elena and Damon, he walked stiffly back into the club, his posture exuding thinly veiled rage.

Elena immediately slid to the ground, wrapping her arms around her legs as tears spilled out of her eyes. The thought of what could've happened if Damon hadn't found her swirled through her head, each scenario more ugly than the last. She thought that Stefan was supposed to be cool and calm, not like this. She would've never thought that he would've been capable of _hurting_ her.

Damon crouched in front of her, cupping her face in his hands as he thumbed away her tears, "Baby, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head, dismissing the throbbing pain she was feeling in her arms. She didn't want him to be angrier than he already was and knowing what Stefan did would only make it worse. Looking up at him, she blinked her remaining tears away as she whispered, "Thank you."

Gathering her into his arms, he stood up and kissed her forehead softly, "You don't need to thank me. I'll always be here to protect you."

* * *

Damon had insisted that Elena stay at his apartment that night. He decided to blow off accounting and gave Enzo a call to take care of it. He made sure that Elena took a shower before he gave her one of his shirts and allowed her some sleep.

He was sitting in the living room of his apartment, a bottle of Bourbon in hand as he thought about Stefan. He couldn't understand how his own brother would resort to trying to intimidate a woman all because she didn't want him. Sure, Elena was…well she was Elena. She was sweet and funny, witty and charming, and not to mention how beautiful she was inside and out. She seemed to be happy with Damon and he wanted her to stay that way.

He knew that she would be headed home eventually, though he didn't know how soon, but he swore to make that time memorable. And maybe they could build a relationship despite that. They could try the whole long distance thing and see how it worked out. But he couldn't have the regret of not trying. He was beginning to fall in love with her and he didn't want her to become the one that got away.

* * *

 **Leave a review, please!**

 **~Grace**


	10. Chapter 10

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think!**

* * *

 _I got one foot out the door,_

 _Where are my keys?_

 _'_ _Cause I gotta leave, yeah._

Want To Want Me by Jason Derulo

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

"Come on," Elena begged as Damon dragged her along the streets of some town she didn't recognize, "At least give me a hint as to where we're going."

Damon shook his head with a smile, "That will ruin the surprise! Just be good and follow me."

"Be good?" She snorted in disbelief, "What am I? A dog?"

"No, but if you were, you'd be an adorable Chihuahua that I would take everywhere with me."

The image of Damon carrying around a small dog had her in a fit of giggles as she relented and allowed him to pull her along.

The past week and a half had flown by. With no more incidents from Stefan, she had finally started to relax some. She had just under a week until Jeremy's graduation and her move home, but the more she thought about it, the more she wasn't ready to move home quite yet. She enjoyed spending time with Damon and everyday with him was like a new adventure waiting to be had.

Elena hadn't even noticed that they had stopped in front of a ticket booth. Peeking around him, she saw that they were waiting to buy a ticket for a ferry ride.

"We drove almost seven hours for a ferry ride?" She asked in disbelief.

He tsk'd her softly as he paid for their tickets and led them to the waiting area, "It's not about the _ferry ride_ , it's about the scenery. You'll love it, I promise."

She sighed and allowed him to drag her onto the ferry once it docked. Damon led them to the bow of the ship, handing her a raincoat he had procured from somewhere she didn't see.

Looking over the railing at the water, her stomach began to feel a little weird. She'd never been on a boat before and the thought was a little unnerving.

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly, "You don't get seasick, do you?"

She shrugged her shoulders, "I've never been on a boat before, so your guess is as good as mine."

"Great," he mumbled, before adding in a louder voice, "But if you need to throw up, please do so in the water and not on me."

Smiling, she teased, "No promises."

When the ferry had loaded all of it's passengers and Damon and Elena were adorned in obnoxious yellow raincoats, it began its voyage towards the unknown.

Her nausea had let up quite a bit and now the sound of water was getting louder and louder. Damon held his arm securely around her waist as she tried to see through the water.

Suddenly, Elena gasped loudly as the ferry turned and they were headed straight towards Niagara Falls. Its beauty was unparallel with anything she had ever seen before and she couldn't help as a bright smile lit up her face. The water cascaded effortlessly down the falls and met at the bottom with a spray that was slowly drenching her the closer they got.

Holding on to the railing of the bow, she turned her head and smiled at Damon as she shouted over the rushing water, "This is beautiful!"

Damon's smile was breathtaking as he yelled back, "I know!"

Turning her attention back towards the water, her heart constricted painfully. The past three weeks had been everything she'd ever hoped for in a relationship. Damon was sweet and kind, but still had a sense of humor that could keep her laughing for hours. He was arrogant and cocky, but that was just another reason why she loved him.

 _Love_?

Elena's eyebrows scrunched together as she thought it over. Did she love Damon? He had been able to turn her perspective around on staying. He had shown her that he would wait for her as long as it took for her to be comfortable. He hadn't rushed her or pressured her into doing anything and he had protected her when it mattered most.

But, did she love him?

Yes. The answer was yes. She loved Damon and while she wasn't sure that you could fall in love with someone in a small span of a month, she was sure that she loved him.

She turned in his arms and looked up at his handsome face. His blue eyes were trained on hers and she smiled as widely as she could before kissing him like she never had before. The water was pouring down on them now, but she didn't care. The only thing that mattered was his lips on hers and he was giving as good as he was getting.

"I love you!" She yelled breathlessly when they parted.

Damon's eyes widened slightly at her words, trying to process if she really meant them or not. It had been a long time since he genuinely loved a woman and he didn't want to get hurt again. But something about Elena always seemed to draw him in; make him want to change himself and be a better man just for her. He knew he loved her the second she curled into his arms after what Stefan had did to her. But was she sure? As he searched her face, the only emotion he could read was sincerity.

His mouth attacked hers once again in a battle of tongue and teeth. She was it for him, he was sure of it. And to have her announce her love for him was what sealed the deal. They were infinite. They were epic. And they belonged to each other.

"I love you, too."

* * *

The rest of the day passed effortlessly and before either of them knew it they were curled up on the couch in Damon's apartment, watching mindless TV. He had thrown an arm lazily around her waist as she curled against his chest, breathing in the spicy scent of his cologne.

"Did you mean it?" He murmured softly, looking down at her. Yes, he had said it back, but they hadn't said it since. What if it was just a 'heat of the moment' type of thing?

Looking up at him, she smiled brightly and moved her small hand to his cheek, cupping it softly, "I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. I love you, Damon Salvatore."

He let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. Relief washed over him knowing that the beautiful woman in his arms truly loved him. He pulled her closer and tucked her head under his chin, relishing the feeling of _her_.

"You're going home this weekend, right?" He asked softly.

He felt her nod her head against his chest, "Yeah. My brother's graduating and I want to support him."

"How about you just take the rest of the week off," he suggested, pulling back and placing a kiss on her forehead, "I can have someone else cover your shift."

"That's nice of you to offer, but I really can't afford to do that," Elena smiled a small smile, "I'll just leave on Friday after my shift. It's only a few days anyway."

"I'll just apply your vacation days," he said offhandedly, "You'll still get paid and you'll be able to spend some extra time with your brother."

She snorted, "I'm already out of vacation days from the two past weeks."

"Nonsense. You can have as many as you want. Besides, you're dating _the boss_ ," he wiggled his eyebrows at her before he kissed her.

"I'll leave the day after tomorrow," she said, pulling away and rubbing her nose against his, "But no more giving me vacation days."

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled as he kissed her again, grabbing her by the hips and situating her perfectly in his lap. He brushed her hair away from her face and pulled her tight against his chest, allowing his mouth to wander across her jaw.

Elena hadn't been in such a compromising position in quite a while. She was straddling him and she could feel his erection pressing against her. Normally, she would pull herself off of him and take time to cool down, but she didn't want to. She wanted everything he had to offer.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair, mussing it up more than it already was. He responded in the like, grabbing her hair and tangling his fingers in it. She was so soft and supple beneath his hands and he wanted nothing more than to rip her clothes off of her and make her scream his name. His mouth moved down to her neck and then to her collarbone, nipping as he went.

"Damon…" She moaned slightly, grinding her hips against his.

He smirked against her skin, "Yes?"

She took a deep breath, trying to steady her voice as she whispered, "I want you."

Hearing her admission caused Damon to still. Of course he wanted her, too. But this wasn't the right time or the right place. He wasn't going to take her virginity on the couch in his apartment when they were both dead tired after being out all day. No, she deserved better than that. She deserved to feel cherished and loved.

Pulling away slightly, he saw her eyes clouded with lust as he brushed a kiss against her lips, "Not right now, baby. Soon, but not right now."

Elena pouted. She had only got this worked up only once before and she was literally dying for a release. Her eyebrows pulled together in frustration as she begged, "But…"

"I didn't say we couldn't do _anything_ else though," Damon smiled as he gathered her in his arms and led them to his bedroom. He set her on the bed gently as he stripped her of her clothes, leaving her bare and needy before him. Kneeling down, he pressed a soft kiss to her inner thigh, "I can do other things that will make you scream."

She was sure her face was red with embarrassment as his hot breath tickled her most sensitive area. They had only done this once before and feeling him between his legs was awkward for her. She covered her face as she whined, "Damon-"

"Shhh, baby," he murmured, kissing right above her little bundle of nerves causing her to buck her hips slightly, "Just relax and enjoy."

She cried out the second his tongue made contact with her heated core. He lapped at her silky wetness, memorizing the places that caused her to moan and squirm the most. She was easily the best thing he had ever tasted and he knew he would never get enough of her. He felt her fingers tangle in his raven hair and secure his mouth against her.

"Ahh…Damon that…feels so good!" She managed to get out in between pants. She knew that she was pulling his hair and it was probably uncomfortable for him, but he didn't make a single noise of complaint. She felt heat pool deep in her belly as she approached the edge.

He knew she was close when her thighs began to tremble and her moans became more frequent. Wetting two of his fingers, he slowly eased them into her, causing her to cry out. Hooking his fingers, he massaged that spot deep inside her as he suckled on her clit, wanting to her fall apart for him.

With a loud keening cry, she screamed his name and orgasmed almost painfully against his mouth. She chest heaved with exertion as he swallowed every drop of moisture that she offered him. Removing his fingers from her, he stood and stripped down to his boxers before getting into the bed next to her and holding her close.

She looked at him in awe, a tired but satisfied smile plastered onto her face. She was breathless as she said, "Wow. I think that gets better every time."

He chuckled, kissing her temple softly, "I promise that it'll always get better."

Her heart clenched at his words, knowing that she would be leaving. But could she leave after everything that was happening between them? She admitted that she loved him; she couldn't just walk away now. She wouldn't.

"I love you," she whispered sleepily, curling further into him and resting her head against his strong chest.

"I love you, too, baby," he said softly, hearing her breathing even out before he closed his eyes and joined her in sleep.

* * *

Damon sat at his desk at the club, running over numbers before Enzo would arrive. Since Elena had started working, the club's profits had increased tremendously and he was thinking of taking on a few new dancers to help with the larger crowds.

There was a knock on his door and he yelled for whomever it was to come in, thinking it was Enzo that had finally arrived. However, looking up, he saw that he was wrong. Sighing, Damon put his pen down and looked evenly at the man, "Stefan, I thought I told you not to come by here anymore. Elena's working tonight."

Stefan shrugged, taking a seat on the opposite side of Damon's desk, "I want the truth. I think you both owe me that much."

"She doesn't owe you a damn thing after the way you treated her," the elder said, barely concealing his anger, "You scared her and you hurt her, Stefan. She didn't deserve that and you're lucky that I didn't convince her to press charges against you."

Stefan snorted, "Press charges? I didn't do anything wrong! I was asking her-"

"You were fucking interrogating her as you would a client," Damon spat, standing up and pointing at Stefan accusingly, "God, Stefan! You left bruises on her!" Stefan's face paled while Damon continued, "What? You don't remember? You don't remember grabbing her and shoving her against her own car? What the _fuck_ is the matter with you? You _assaulted_ her!"

"I-I didn't mean to-"

"I don't give a fuck what you did and didn't mean to do," Damon growled, his blues eyes alight with rage, " _You assaulted Elena_. That's more than grounds for a restraining order. You know the nights she works and I don't want you around her. At all."

"What? Are you two _fucking_ now or something?" Stefan asked, his anger coming back as he stood up and went toe to toe with Damon, "Are you using her like you use all the other girls? You going to throw her away when she doesn't _amuse_ you anymore?"

"I love her, Stefan," Damon admitted in a steady and sure voice, "And I won't let you hurt her. She deserves better than you. Hell, she deserves better than me! But for some unknown reason that girl out there loves me and I'll be damned if I love her too. So, you can pack up your pity party and go somewhere else, because I'm done with you."

Stefan glared at him in disbelief, "You're going to let some _stripper_ come between us? I'm your brother!"

"No. No you're not," Damon shook his head sadly, "The second you put your hands on the woman I love ensured that. I don't want anything to do with you anymore."

"Damon-"

"Get out, Stefan."

* * *

 **What did you guys think? Leave me a review and let me know!**

 **~Grace**


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry, guys, I was away on holiday. I'll be updating all my stories today.**

* * *

 _When I'm away, I will remember how you kissed me._

 _Under the lamppost back on 6_ _th_ _street._

 _Hearing you whisper through the phone._

 _"_ _Wait for me to come home."_

Photograph by Ed Sheeran

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

"What time are you leaving tomorrow, babe?" Damon asked as he sifted through Elena's drawers, pulling out things he thought she'd need.

It was the Wednesday before Jeremy's graduation and she was still caught on if she was going to be moving home or not. Being with Damon was unlike anything she'd ever felt before; she was genuinely happy around him and she didn't want that to stop. She had noticed that he had changed, too; instead of being mostly arrogant and self-assured, he was happier and more lighthearted.

"'Lenababy?" He asked when she didn't reply.

She blushed at her nickname and gave him a smile, "I'll probably leave around ten or so because I'm driving."

His brows furrowed in concern as he protested, "That's like seven hours in the car. I don't want you alone for that long; something could happen. Why aren't you flying?"

"Just easier to drive," she shrugged, walking to her closet and taking her shirts off the hangers, "And that way I'll have a car while I'm there."

"Fine," he conceded halfheartedly. He didn't like the idea of _his_ girlfriend driving that far by herself. He sighed and watched as she emptied her closet. "What are you doing?" He asked, confusion coloring his voice, "You're just going for the weekend. I know you're a girl, but you don't need _everything_."

Elena averted her eyes from his, focusing on folding her shirts as the guilt threatened to seep out, "I just don't know what I want to wear while I'm gone. Besides, half of the stuff I don't even wear a lot anyway; I'm going to take it home and probably donate it or something."

"Okay," he said slowly, noticing her change of mood. Elena didn't normally hide things from him, but he felt a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that this was different. He studied how robotic her moves seemed to be, wondering what she was hiding. Walking over to here, he took the shirt she was holding and set in on the bed before taking her hands and looking into her chocolate orbs, "Are we okay? Did I do something wrong? Did I upset you or-"

She shook her head fiercely, her eyes beginning to brim with tears, "No. You didn't do anything wrong. I guess I'm…just emotional right now. I'll get over it. I'm sorry," she sniffed, wiping away at the tears, "I don't mean to ruin the day with you."

"You aren't," Damon smiled, leaning down and kissing her softly, "Everything is perfect."

* * *

"It looks like no one lives here anymore," Damon observed, looking around Elena's bare apartment, "Why are you taking everything?"

Elena's shoulders hunched at the question. Her mind was a jumbled mess when it came to him. She gathered her face in a fake smile before she turned to him, "Well, summer's coming up and I need to switch out all my winter clothes for summer ones…and I'm sure my brother will want some of the other stuff I packed for his apartment and-"

He strode over to her and kissed her softly, "Shhh, babe. It's fine. I was just wondering. I'm just used to girls having a lot more in their homes than just the bare minimum."

"Oh," she mumbled, her cheeks blushing slightly. She knew that she didn't have much, but between paying rent, sending money to Jeremy, and saving the rest, she didn't have time to think about decorating, let alone _knickknacks._

"Don't worry about it," Damon said, smiling as he looked around at the empty space, "We'll fix that when you get back. I'm thinking…" he walked over in front of her white couch and held out his arms in a wide gesture, "A big screen TV against this wall and a beautiful sectional right across from it. Perfect for cuddling and…other activities," he waggled his eyebrows at her with a smirk.

"Yeah, yeah," she smiled back at him before checking her phone, "It's already after seven…you should probably head home before the club opens tonight."

He scrunched his nose for a second and pursed his lips, "I'm not working tonight. Besides, I'm already home."

Elena snorted as she looked around and teased, "Excuse me, Mr. Salvatore, but this is _my_ home. Not yours."

He sauntered over to her, a loving smile on his face as he took her small hands in his. His blue eyes were wide and vulnerable as he spoke softly, "My home is whenever I'm with you, Elena. _You're_ my home."

"I love you," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him softly, "I love you so much."

Cupping her olive cheeks in his hands, he brushed his lips against hers, "I don't think I ever really knew what love was until I met you. You've changed everything for me. I know we've only been dating for a few weeks, but I've really gotten to know you since you came to work for me. You…indescribable. You're _Elena_ and I'm so glad that you're _mine_."

Elena looked down and blushed, her heart racing. Damon was the epitome of what she wanted in a man and she wasn't sure how she was ever going to give him up. He had become such a large part of her life in such a small time that the thought of being without him caused her physical pain. She sighed and laid her head on his chest, "Are you spending the night tonight?"

"Of course," he answered quickly before backtracking nervously, "Unless you don't want me to. I mean, I could always go to my apartment-"

"No," she smiled, pulling away to look into his blue depths, "I want you to stay with me tonight. I don't want to be alone."

"I'll never leave you alone, baby. I promise."

Elena sighed before disentangling herself from him and going into the kitchen. She looked through the cupboards before pulling out a box of noodles and a jar of spaghetti sauce. "I hope you're in the mood for Italian," she called to him before looking for a pot to boil the noodles in.

His arms wrapped around her from behind and pulled her back flush against his front as he murmured sensually, "I hope _you're_ in the mood for Italian because that's what you're going to be getting for quite a while." He thrust his hips against her to prove his point as he kissed the hollow beneath her ear.

"Oomph," she squeaked, nearly dropping the pot in her hand. Her mind was beginning to cloud with lust as she wiggled her little butt against him. He groaned, gripping her hips hard as he rubbed against her slowly. She could feel the heat building in her core as she moaned, "Damon…"

One of his hands snaked around her front, unbuttoning her shorts before slipping inside her lacy panties while his free hand moved to cup her breast. His fingers left a trail of fire before using his middle finger to circle her tiny bundle of nerves. She arched her back as she panted, pushing her behind tighter against his growing erection.

Elena felt as if she might explode as he leisurely circling her clit. She could feel her core start to drip with earnest, desperately wanting to relief the ache between her legs. "Damon…I need more…" she whimpered.

He plunged one finger deep inside her throbbing heat, earning a startled gasp from his girl as she dropped the pot on the counter with a loud clang. Using his thumb to massage her clit, he pumped his finger in and out of her at a steady pace, feeling her walls begin to tighten around him. She squirmed in his embrace, thrusting her hips wantonly against his hand as he buried a second finger inside of her. She screamed his name loudly and fell apart in his arms, thankful that she was light enough for him to hold up.

"Wow," she panted, laying her head back against his shoulder with a huge smile on her face, "I think I'll love Italian for the rest of my life."

"Good," he murmured, kissing her softly as he slipped his fingers out of her before bringing them to his mouth and moaning softly as he licked them clean, "I'll never get tired of how good you taste. I could lick you all day long."

Elena's giggle turned to a gasp as she wiggled her bottom against him again, feeling his straining cock through the denim of his jeans. She turned in his arms and placed a soft kiss to his lips before looking up at him innocently, "It looks like you could use some help, too, baby."

His eyes widened comically as she sank to her knees in front of him. She had never done anything like this before, but he had never asked her for anything in return. She swiftly unbuckled his pants before unbuttoning them and sliding them down his legs. Black boxers and his cock trying so hard to escape the cotton confines met her. Brushing her hand softly against his bulge, he tried to suppress a groan.

"If I do anything wrong, you have to tell me," she said softly, looking up at him with a small smile curled on her lips.

"You've never done this before?" Damon asked in wonder. Just how innocent was this girl?

She shook her head slightly, insecurity clouding her features as she looked down, "I-I know I don't have much experience…"

"Shhh, baby," he reassured her, reaching down and stroking her cheek lovingly, "You don't have to do this if you don't want to, but you'll do great if you do."

Nodding eagerly, she replied, "I want to make you feel as good as you make me feel." Her heart swelled as he smiled at her.

Taking a deep breath, she tugged down his boxers and revealed his manhood. She gasped in surprise as she looked at him for the first time. She had never seen a penis in person before and his could only be described as _beautiful_. She knew that he was _bigger_ than average and the girth alone was almost the size of her wrist. The same raven hair that trailed from his navel surrounded it, making her blush slightly.

Damon watched as she observed him, nearly moaning as her small hand reached out and touched him softly. His skin was so smooth and felt so soft under her hand that she couldn't wait to see how he would feel in her mouth. Wrapping her hand around the base, she tentatively lapped at the swollen head of his cock, swallowing the somewhat bitter fluid that was weeping from the tip. She slowly allowed more of him in her mouth, being sure to massage the rest of the length that wasn't in her mouth.

"Oh, God, baby," he groaned, anchoring his hands in her luscious hair so he wouldn't thrust into her mouth, "That feels so good."

Encouraged by his words, she eagerly began bobbing her head up and down on his hard length, swallowing more and more as she went. Her hands were braced against his naked thighs as she pleasured him. An ache was beginning to build between her legs and she reached her hand down and slowly rubbed her clit in tandem to her thrusts.

Damon was trying his hardest not to explode too fast, but seeing her on her knees before him with _his_ cock in her beautiful mouth as she tried to get herself off at the same time was beginning to make him weak in the knees. He wasn't sure how he had gotten such a perfect girl, but he sure as hell wasn't about to let her go.

"E-Elena, baby…" he panted, his hands scrunching her hair tighter in his fists, "You have to s-stop if you don't want me to cum in y-your mouth."

She moaned something against his cock, but began sucking him harder, knowing he was close. She was dying to taste him as he had tasted her.

"Goddammit! Fuck, Elena!" He roared into the kitchen, holding her head down as jets of his hot cum spurted down her willing throat. She eagerly swallowed what he had to offer before pulling away slightly and licking the rest of her saliva off of his softening cock.

Her clit was still throbbing for release, but she was glad that she had made him feel good. She sat back on her heels as she daintily rubbed her mouth against the back of her hand and smiled up at him, "Was that okay?"

He hurriedly pulled his boxers and pants back up before pulling her to her feet and wrapping his arms around her tiny waist, "That was probably the best blowjob I've ever had."

Elena blushed and looked away, "You're lying, but I'm glad you liked it."

Hushing her, he kissed her passionately, not minding the taste of himself in her mouth. He smiled and pulled away to gaze at her, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as he murmured, "How's that little clit of yours doing, baby? I know you were getting wet while you sucked me…do you need some help?"

She nodded, biting her lip as her eyes began to fill with lust again, "Uh huh. Would you help me, please?"

"It would be my pleasure," he said huskily, slipping his hand between their bodies and massaging her swollen clit with fervor. She was crying out in no time and he readily swallowed her beautiful sounds as he kissed her.

* * *

"I love you," Elena murmured as she was curled up on Damon's chest.

They had finished dinner an hour or so earlier and decided to just enjoy each other's company before she left in the morning. She was drawing idle circles on his bare chest as her mind thought about moving.

"I love you, too, beautiful," he said in an equally soft voice, "You're the only woman for me; I'm sure of it."

She laughed slightly, the tinkling sound of bells as she looked up at him, "We haven't even slept together yet. What if I'm horrible at it?"

"I don't need to sleep with you to know you're the one for me," he said, gazing into her doe eyes, "I love _you_ , Elena Marie Gilbert."

"How do you know my middle name?" She asked in confusion.

He hid a smile, "I found your diary earlier and took a look inside the cover," he hurriedly continued at her stern expression, "Don't worry, I didn't ready it."

"You better not have," she grumbled, "Hey! Since you know my middle name, it's only fair that I know yours, too."

He looked at her skeptically, "Promise not to laugh?" She nodded and he sighed, "It's Christian."

"Damon Christian Salvatore," she said thoughtfully before a smile broke across her face, "I like it."

"Yeah, yeah," he scoffed, kissing the top of her head, "You need to get some sleep, baby. You've got an early day tomorrow."

"I need to tell you something," she whispered, her dark eyes looking up at him sadly.

Damon thought for a moment before he said carefully, "Is it going to make me happy or sad?"

She bit her lower lip gently. She didn't want to hurt him. She couldn't. She loved Damon more than she had every loved anyone before. He made her feel happy and safe and she wanted to be with him and only _him_ for the rest of her life. But she also knew that a relationship couldn't be built on lies. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Sad."

"Then I don't want to know."

* * *

 **Be sure to leave a review!**

 **~Grace**


	12. Chapter 12

**I know that this chapter is a little long, but I couldn't find a good place to stop. I hope you all enjoy it!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

Two weeks had gone by. Two _fucking_ weeks and he hadn't heard a damn thing from her since she left. He called, texted, and waited as patiently as he could. But when Tuesday rolled around and she didn't show up for her shift, worry overcame him hard. What if she was sick? What if something bad had happened?

Damon had spent the past week drinking away his memories. He couldn't get her out of his mind and it was torturing him. He had let Enzo do what he wanted with the club for the week, not caring not that Elena wasn't there.

 _Elena_.

Her name alone was enough to send shivers down his spine. The one woman he had let in after all that heartbreak turned around and broke his heart all over again without a second thought. He thought she was different; thought she was sweet and kind and didn't have a mean bone in her body.

Boy, was he wrong.

* * *

 _"_ _Sir, can I help you?" A man's voice said from behind him._

 _Damon was standing outside her apartment, banging on the door while alternating between begging and threatening her to open the_ damn _door._

 _He turned around and scowled at the man, "Unless you have a spare key to the apartment, then no."_

 _The older gentleman fidgeted slightly, "You're looking for Miss Gilbert, then?"_

 _"_ _Yes," Damon snapped, his blue eyes flashing with anger, "She hasn't showed up to work in a few days and I want to see her."_

 _"_ _I'm not sure how to tell you this, son," the old man sighed, giving Damon a pitiful look, "I'm the landlord around here and, well, Miss Gilbert's lease was up last Friday. She was headed home, I think."_

 _Damon's world almost fell apart. How could she not tell him? How could she just leave without a single word or a backwards glance? He_ loved _her. He still did and some part of him knew that he always would._

 _"_ _You all right?"_

 _Damon looked down, just now noticing how his hands were shaking. Shoving them in his pocket, he nodded, "Fine. I guess, I guess she just forgot to hand in her two weeks notice. Thanks."_

 _He didn't look back at the door to her apartment as he left. He couldn't be reminded of that right now. He couldn't be reminded of the love of his life._

* * *

Damon's drunken mind was muddled as he recalled the second worst memory of his life. That broken feeling was still eating away at his chest, reminding him that the reason his heart was beating was gone.

Motioning for another drink from the bartender, he willed himself to think about happier things. But they only things that came to mind were things that reminded him of Elena; the way her hair smelt, the softness of her skin, the way she glowed right after she fell apart by his hand or his mouth.

"Damon."

He groaned as he heard the familiar voice. He couldn't deal with him right now, if ever. He wanted to shut his mind off and ignore the world, but, of course, Damon would never be that lucky.

"Why are you drinking now, hm?" Stefan said as he sat down at the barstool next to him, "Trouble in paradise?"

"Goddammit, Stefan," Damon growled, turning his bloodshot gaze onto his brother, "Could it be possible for you to not be such a dick? There's really not a reason for you to be jealous anymore."

"Why? Elena leave you?" Stefan shot back sarcastically, gesturing for a drink.

Damon swallowed dryly, trying to keep his voice from cracking as he answered, "Yes."

The younger man looked stunned. His mouth opened and closed a few times in attempt to give him some comfort, but the words wouldn't come. Looking down, he mumbled a soft apology.

"Why're you sorry?" Damon snarled, his sadness evaporating instantly, "Didn't you want her all to yourself? Weren't you waiting for this?"

"I'm not sorry that I have my brother back," Stefan shrugged, "But I am sorry that Elena left you. I know you…I know you loved her."

Damon picked up his glass and downed it in a single swig before turning and meeting Stefan's green gaze, "I don't even care that she left me, I just want her back. I'd forgive her." He stopped and fiddled with the edge of his glass, his voice softening, "She tried to tell me she was leaving, I know she did. But I just didn't want to hear it. She wanted to avoid all of this when she left and now it's an even bigger mess."

Stefan clapped his hand on Damon's shoulder reassuringly, "She'll come back if she's meant to. She's probably just…sorting things out right now. She needs time."

"Yeah, yeah."

Stefan stood suddenly, looking at his watch, "I've got to head out in just a minute."

"Hot date?" Damon asked wryly, easily falling back into he brotherly banter.

"As a matter of fact, no," Stefan said, pursing his lips, "I'm heading back home for a few days; Dad has a case that he wants me to look over. Want to come?"

Damon shook his head, "Nah. I'm going to stay here and try to put my liver in shock."

* * *

"Caroline," Elena whined from her bed, making sure to stay bundled under the covers, "I'm _not_ going out tonight."

The blonde huffed and ripped the covers off of her best friend, "It's been two weeks, Elena. We're going out and having fun. No room for protests and no more mopping over Damon!"

Elena wanted to cry when she mentioned _his_ name. She missed him so badly that it hurt. She loved him.

"Besides, Jeremy wants to go see a movie tonight," Caroline said, rummaging through Elena's closet and pulling out a pair of jeans and a tank top before throwing them at her, "So, we're going to see whatever that superhero movie is and then we're going to The Grill. It'll be nice, okay?"

The brunette swung her legs out of bed and mumbled her agreement before padding to the bathroom. Stopping in front of the mirror, she nearly gasped at what she saw. Her normally silky chocolate hair lay in tangles around her face, her skin a sallow and chalky color in comparison to the glowing olive she was used to, and her eyes were dull and flat, still puffy with tears that she cried.

Without Damon she had seemed to become a completely different person. Two weeks without him had taken such a toll that she wasn't sure how she was still breathing and functioning. She missed him so much that there was literally an ache in her chest that refused to go away. She felt like there wasn't enough duct tape in the entire world to keep her from breaking.

"You really miss him, don't you?" Caroline asked softly, appearing in the doorway and staring at her best friend sadly.

Elena nodded pitifully, "You have no idea. Since my parents died, I've never really been happy. I've just been doing what I had to in order to get by and get Jeremy through school. I wasn't supposed to fall in love along the way…"

Caroline looked up, surprised, "You're in _love_ with Damon?"

"Yes," she admitted, biting her lower lip, "And I love Jeremy, but I feel like part of me is missing. I…I need him, Care. But Jeremy needs me, too."

"Oh, no," the blonde said, instantly taking charge, "Jeremy is an adult Elena, well almost. He'll be heading off to college in Denver and you'll be all alone here. Go back to Damon, let yourself be happy. It's better than being alone here."

"But Jeremy…"

"Jeremy can take care of himself," Caroline said firmly, "He's been doing it for almost a year now. College won't be any different. Besides, he'll be living on campus, it's not like you can follow him to Denver and 'baby' him."

Elena looked stunned for a moment, "Are you telling me to go back to New York?"

"Yes," Caroline said, a smile breaking across her face, "I want you to go back to New York and be with the man you love." She shooed Elena towards the shower with a laugh, "Now get ready! We have a movie to catch!"

* * *

"Stefan!" A dark haired woman with deep blue eyes cried as soon as Stefan walked through the door.

"Hi, mom," Stefan said softly as he went and wrapped his mother in a hug, "You look great."

Lily smiled and squeezed him tightly, "So do you, my boy. I was so worried about you flying; the weather has been crazy for May this year."

Lily Salvatore was a kind woman, often a balance to her husband who was firmer than she was. She had grown up in New York and ran off with the first man that her parents hadn't approved of. Giuseppe had promised to love Lily despite what her parents believed and they had been married for almost thirty years, producing two beautiful sons in the process.

"Where's Dad?" Stefan asked, setting his bag down in the foyer, "He wanted me to look over a couple cases for him."

Lily waved her hand, leading him into the parlor to sit, "He's out. I suspect he's working late again; the cases are starting to pile up and he's not as young as he used to be…"

"Are you really trying to guilt trip me into moving home?" Stefan asked incredulously, "Because maybe you'd have better luck with Damon…"

Her eyes widened in panic, "What's wrong with my _ragazzo_? What happened?"

"He fell in love," Stefan sighed, taking a seat on the couch across from his mother, "And she left."

"Damon…fell in love?" She asked slowly, confusion across her face, "But…he wasn't interested in love after that horrible dancer."

Stefan shrugged, "We both fell in love with her. She's…she's unlike anyone else either of us have ever met. She's smart and kind, sweet and funny. She broke my heart first and then went after Damon."

"I already don't like this girl. How can you speak so highly of her when she's hurt both of you so deeply?"

"Because it wasn't her fault," he said softly, "She was just barely eighteen when we met her; she was a dancer and when she left me for Damon…I kind of lost it. I hurt her and I didn't mean to."

She looked sharply at Stefan, "What did you do to that _ragazza,_ Stefan?"

He looked down, ashamed, "I didn't handle it very well. I wanted to know why she led me on just to be with Damon. He and I…fought. I was told to stay away from her and I did, because he told me he loved her."

"Then what happened?" Lily asked, her narrow brows creased, "If they were in love, why did she leave?"

"She wasn't happy being a dancer and I know she has a younger brother she was supposed to take care of. He lives here, in Mystic Falls, and I know she wanted to come back eventually and make sure he got off to college all right," he sighed, running his hand through his hair, "She and Damon have been inseparable for the past month and Damon…he's so broken, Mom."

"When did she leave?" She asked quietly.

"A few weeks ago, I think."

Lily nodded to herself. Damon was strong, he would get over this. She took a deep breath, looking at her youngest son, "He'll be okay, Stef. He'll get over this and move on."

Stefan looked unconvinced, "I don't know. She and I weren't even really dating and it took me a while to get over her. I can't imagine how he's feeling."

"Come on," she stood, smoothing her dress, "Let's go grab some dinner at The Grill, okay? It'll take your mind off of things.

* * *

"That movie was awful!" Caroline exclaimed as they took a seat at their booth, "I mean, I don't like superhero stuff in general, but come on!"  
"You have no appreciation for the good stuff," Jeremy muttered, sliding in before Elena sat down beside him, "Right, 'Lena?"

Elena's mind had been elsewhere the moment Caroline had told her to go back to New York. Her heart actually felt as if it were beating again and all she wanted was to be cocooned in Damon's arms again.

"Elena?"

She snapped out of her thoughts and blinked owlishly for a minute, "I'm sorry, what?"

Caroline gave her friend a knowing look before looking at Jeremy pointedly, "I think Elena has something she wants to tell you and, so help me God, if you give her any sort of response that isn't happy, I'll personally make sure you never have a girlfriend again."

"Caroline!" Elena chastised before looking at Jeremy. She fiddled with the napkin she had placed in her lap as she tried to gather the courage to tell him.

"Come on, 'Lena," Jeremy coaxed, "Just tell me. It'll make you feel better."

Elena nodded, taking a deep breath, "When do you leave for Denver?"

"A few days from now, why?"

"Iwanttogobacktonewyork," she rushed out before she lost her words.

He chuckled, "Want to try that again? A little slower this time, please."

She cringed, "I want to back to New York."

"It's that guy, isn't it?" He asked, his voice holding no malice for once when he referred to a man in his sister's life.

Elena nodded, "I miss him, Jer. And I need to go back. I need to see him."

Jeremy took a minute to process everything, but finally he smiled, "That's good, right? You'll be with someone who cares about you. You won't be alone here-"

"Hey! She's not alone," Caroline cut him off with a huff.

"My point is that she'll be happy. She can come see you whenever and I'm sure she will." Jeremy turned back to his sister and smiled, "When are you leaving?"

"I can wait until-"

"Tonight!" Caroline interrupted, again, "I already bought you a plane ticket."

Elena groaned, "What about my car? All my stuff?"

The blonde rolled her eyes, "I'll drive your car and stuff out to you in a few weeks or so. It's not like you need it _right now_. New York has public transportation down to a science."

After everything was agreed upon, Caroline and Jeremy fell into mundane conversation, causing Elena's eyes to roam around The Grill. A flurry of raven hair at the bar caught her eye and she was up before either of her tablemates could ask questions.

Moving towards the bar, her heart sunk as she realized that it was not who she wanted to see. Turning around, she bumped into a hard chest, looking up to apologize.

"Elena."

Her blood turned cold at the sound of her name on his tongue. Her body started shaking as she tried to form a response, "I-I-I'm s-sorry. I-I didn't m-mean-"

Stefan backed away from her immediately, giving her space as he looked at her pleadingly, "Please don't be afraid of me, Elena. I know…I know I hurt you and I'm sorry for that. I promise it won't ever happen again."

She nodded on acknowledgement of his words, keeping her eyes down. She couldn't look at him, she just couldn't.

Taking a chance, he pulled her into his arms, hugging her close. He knew that it was probably a bad idea, but he had to comfort her somehow. She stiffened immediately, trying to keep calm. Her arms were hurting with the memory of his hold being too tight.

Suddenly, she inhaled and almost cried. He smelled like Bourbon and spice and leather and everything that was Damon. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him closer to her body, not caring who he was or what he did. All she knew is that she needed his comfort. They were friends once and she wanted that again.

Stefan wrapped his arms around her tight, rubbing her back slightly as he whispered to her, "It's all right. I've got you."

She didn't know how long they stayed like that in the middle of The Grill, but when she pulled away, she could see Caroline and Jeremy watching her closely. Ignoring them, she looked up at Stefan, "How is he?"

He gave a sharp laugh, "The love of his life left him, how do you think he's doing?"

She looked down and whispered, "I never wanted to hurt him."

Sighing, he tilted her face up once more, thumbing away the tears that she didn't know she had been shedding, "I saw him today and he looked…pretty bad. But he'll forgive you. He'd take you back in a heartbeat if it meant he could be with you again."

"I need him, Stefan," she sniffed, her eyes watering with more tears.

He stroked the hair away from her face as he murmured, "I know."

"Come on, 'Lena, it's time to go," Jeremy called from their booth as he stood up.

Elena smiled at Stefan before placing a kiss on his cheek, "Thank you, Stefan…for everything."

"My pleasure," he replied with a smile.

He watched Elena and her friends leave The Grill and wandered over to his mother, "Sorry about that."

"Who was that?" Lily asked, her brows creased, "She seemed to know you quite well."

Stefan sighed, a small smile on his lips, "That was her. That was the girl who managed to turn your sons' lives upside down in a matter of months."

* * *

Elena hailed a cab as soon as she got out of the airport. She had been a nervous wreck the whole flight. All she could think about was getting to Damon and fixing everything that she had broken.

Telling the driver the address, she sat and waited in the backseat, trying to calm her anxiety.

How would he react? Would he be happy to see her? Or would he turn his back on her and ask her to leave?

Elena knew that she deserved to be shunned. She deserved to be turned away and punished for what she did. She had effectively broke his heart and, in the process, her own as well.

The cab came to a stop outside his building and Elena paid the driver. Getting out of the car, she grabbed her bag and walked slowly to the door. Taking a deep breath, she punched in the security code that would let her in and she heard the door unlock. She made her way to the elevator, her feet seeming to become heavy the closer she came to _him_.

Before she knew it, she was at his door, a shaky hand raised to knock.

Elena had to do this. She _had_ to. Part of her wanted to turn around and get back on a plane to go home, but the other part, the part that mattered, wanted to her knock on that door until she could jump into his arms.

Swallowing her nerves, she knocked on the door, her stomach alight with butterflies.

She had counted to fifty before she knocked again, harder this time. Finally, she heard a shuffling on the other side of the door. And suddenly the door was opening, revealing the man she had missed for two weeks. The man she loved more than anything else in the world. The man that was her _home_.

His hair was messy and it looked as if he hadn't shaved in days. There were dark rings around his eyes that she scolded herself for causing.

"'Lena?" His voice came out raspy and broken, his blue eyes widening as if to make sure she was really there. He had dreamt that this would happen, but this felt too real to be a dream.

His voice sent shivers through her, causing her eyes to fill with tears once more, "Damon-"

"'Lenababy?" He asked again, stepping out of his apartment and grabbing her by her shoulders as he looked her over. Before he thought about it, he pulled her against him, nuzzling his face against her hair and breathing in all that was _his_ Elena.

The dam within her broke and she clutched onto his shirt, allowing her tears to soak through. He was her home, just as she was his. She had felt incomplete without him and wanted, no, needed to be with him again.

Pulling away slightly, he looked down at her tear-streaked face, trying to put on a face on impasse as he spoke hollowly, "Why are you here? You…left. Why did you come back?"

Her bottom lip quivered, her doe eyes shining with new tears, "I just wanted to come home. I needed to…I needed you. Please…please let me come home?"

Before he could stop it, tears were streaming down his face as he held her close once more, "You're home, baby. You're _home_."

* * *

 **So...what'd you guys think? I'm a little nervous, but I'm glad this chapter is out of the way.**

 **We'll have a few more chapters of calm before things start getting messy.**

 **I mean, it's Damon and Elena, how could things not get messy?**

 **Be sure to leave a review!**

 **~Grace**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hi guys! Sorry that this was late; I was in Las Vegas for The Vampire Diaries convention! I had photo ops with Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, Daniel Gillies, Michael Trevino, and Zach Roerig. And, can I just say, that Ian is literally the world's biggest sweetheart? He was so nice and wasn't shy about hugs at all! I definitely spent more time with Zach, Michael, and Daniel because I met up with them at the casino that night, but they were all super sweet. I had such a great time and I'm already planning my next convention!**

 **(I'm still _sorta_ excited about it, so I'm trying not to gush _too_ much.)**

 **I hope you all enjoy this chapter and hopefully I'll have the next chapter up on Saturday.**

 **Oh! And this chapter is rated M for...well certain activities ;)**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Can you still see the heart of me?_

 _All my agony fades away,_

 _When you hold me in your embrace._

All I Need by Within Temptation

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

"I'm sorry…" Elena sniffled against his chest as she wrapped her arms around his neck, "I don't know what I was thinking…"

Damon tangled one hand in her long brown locks and used the other to rub her back reassuringly, "Shhh, baby. What matters is that you're back now. God…I missed you so much."

She sighed and reveled in the feeling of his arms around her. The past two weeks had been absolutely miserable for her, yet a simple touch from the man she loved had taken all of that away. She was content to simply stand outside his apartment and hold each other until the end of forever.

"Come on, 'Lena," he whispered, pulling away slightly and taking her hand, "We've got a few things to talk about."

She nodded and followed him inside, taking deep breaths so she wouldn't hyperventilate. Taking a seat on the couch opposite of him, she fidgeted uncomfortably with her hands, not sure what to say.

Reaching over, he stilled her hands, causing her to look up at him. His face didn't betray any of what he was feeling; right now he needed to know what was going on in that beautiful head of hers.

"Why did you leave, baby?" He asked softly, practically melting into her chocolate gaze.

She sighed, "I thought that my brother needed me. I thought that I could go home and I could pick my life up where I left off," she paused, looking away from him, "I didn't count on falling in love with you. I always planned on going back home once my brother finished school, but I was gone for so long that I didn't realize that he didn't really need me anymore."

"What about your parents?" Damon questioned, his brows creasing together, "They've been taking care of him, right? You don't need to be his parent, 'Lena."

She shrugged, "They're…not really in the picture. We've just always looked out for each other."

"Why did you come back?" He asked, every molecule in his body screaming for the answer. He had do know.

Elena's mahogany eyes met his; this was the moment of truth. All of her emotions came rushing to the surface and she felt as if her heart might leap out of her chest. The two weeks she'd waited had felt like a lifetime and all she wanted was to spend the rest of hers with him. She gave him a watery smile as she whispered, "You. I came back for you."

Before she knew what was happening, Damon's lips crashed down on hers and he was kissing her with abandon. Weeks worth of frustration and loneliness was bubbling to the surface and all she could think about was how badly she _wanted_ him.

Pulling her lips from his roughly, she managed to gasp out, "Bedroom. _Now_."

He pulled back and searched her eyes, satisfied when he saw his own lust reflected back at him. Giving her a quick nod and a sexy half-smile, he picked her up and walked to his room, making sure to spend the entire time worshipping her mouth with his.

Elena sighed in contentment when her back came in contact with the soft sheets of his bed. Her open thighs cradled his body to hers as he placed soft, open mouthed kisses down the expanse of her creamy throat.

"God…'Lena, tell me to stop," Damon groaned against her skin, trying not to grind his denim-clad erection against her heated core.

She shook her head reverently, slow moans building in the back of her throat, "Please. I want you, Damon…I'm ready."

At that moment, he swore that the entire world stopped. Hearing her say those words was enough to make him finish in his pants like a preteen boy.

Her delicate hands began unbuttoning his shirt and pushed the offending fabric from his shoulders before he could make a coherent reply. She whipped her own shirt off and he stared at her bra-covered breasts, still trying to determine if this was really happening or not.

Elena growled, pushing him off of her so he was standing between her legs, "You're wearing too many clothes, still." Her fingers went to his belt and she had it undone in a second before she was unbuttoning his jeans and pushing them down his lean hips.

Finally getting the picture, Damon shimmied the rest of his way out of his jeans, delighting in her face when she saw he wasn't wearing any boxers. He reached forward and unclasped her bra before flinging it to the floor and pushing her flat against the bed.

He palmed her breasts delicately, loving the sounds that were spilling from her lips. Her skin was the softest that he had ever felt and he would never get tired of caressing her. He trailed his lips down her stomach and stopped at the button of her shorts. Taking a deep breath, he unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them off along with her lace panties in a single tug.

Elena lay before him, naked and bothered, looking every bit like the goddess that she was. He had waited months to properly have her body, but in all honestly, having her heart was much more important.

He blanketed her fragile body with his, resting his weight on his forearms that we placed on either side of her head. She looked up at him with warm trusting eyes that nearly made him melt. Damon loved her more than he could ever express. This girl, this _woman_ , beneath him was his heaven and hell all wrapped up in a breathtaking package.

"Damon," she whimpered when she felt that head of his cock brush against her dripping folds. She wasn't sure how or when she had became so aroused, but she knew it was his doing; it always was.

He caressed her cheek softly, pushing her long brown locks away from her face, "Are you sure about this? We can wait, baby…I don't want you to do something that you'll regret."

Elena looked up at him before placing a soft kiss to his mouth, "I could never regret you, Damon. I love you."

His heart swelled at her words before he whispered, "I love you, too, 'Lena."

She wiggled her hips slightly, causing them both to moan before she panted, "Just…be gentle, okay? I…"

"I know, baby," he said softly, taking his throbbing cock in his hand and positioning it at her tight entrance, "It'll only hurt for a second and then I promise to make you feel _amazing_."

Elena gave him a shy smile and spread her legs a little further apart. This was it; this was the moment that she finally gets to be one with the man she loves more than anything else. All the waiting had definitely paid off and she would do it a hundred times over if it meant that she got to be one with the man she loved.

He took a steadying breath before pushing inside of her, nearly losing it as her tight, wet walls clamped down around him. Damon gritted his teeth as he pushed in further, watching her face for any sign of discomfort, but her eyes were closed and her full lips were parted in pleasure.

"Look at me, baby," he cooed when he reached the point of no return. Her beautiful brown eyes fluttered open as he held her face in strong hands and kissed her passionately, "I love you, Elena."

"I love you, too."

And with her words, he pushed past her barrier until he was seated fully inside of her tight sheath. Her tight walls were clamping down around his intruding member, the head of his cock brushing against her cervix.

The sharp pain Elena had felt as soon as he pushed inside of her had disappeared almost as quickly as it came. Now all she could feel was the slight burning from her body trying so desperately to adjust to his large size.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked softly, being sure not to move inside of her just yet, "Does it hurt?"

She blinked up at him before a dazzling smile overcame her face. Shaking her head and trying to steady her breathing, she whispered, "I'm fine…now, please _move_."

Grinning, he slowly withdrew from her before pushing back inside of her, causing her to moan in ecstasy. She felt perfect wrapped around his cock and he was sure that he would never feel this way again with anyone else. Her body moved beneath him as if they were made for each other; panting, pulling, nipping.

Her fingers made their way into his raven locks and she pulled his mouth to hers before kissing him with every ounce of passion that was inside her small body. She couldn't get enough of him; her hips were moving frantically against his, begging for that delicious friction as the coil in her belly began to wind tightly.

"God…baby…you feel so fucking good," Damon panted against her neck, his hips moving quickly against her. He felt her nails digging into his shoulders and he hissed as the skin shredded beneath her hands. He was so close to losing it, but he knew that she was, too.

"Ah! Damon! Right there!" She screeched when he swiveled his hips and hit that perfect place deep inside of her, "Oh my God…Damon, I-I'm gonna…"

Damon grabbed her hips and pushed into her even harder, smirking at how she writhed in pleasure, "Come on, baby. Cum for me. Let me feel you cum on my big cock."

She screamed his name so loud that he was sure the neighbors would call the cops as her orgasm washed over her in waves. When the coil snapped inside of her, she had never felt anything like it. Colors danced behind her eyelids and her body was trembling as he pushed inside of her a few final times before he stilled completely. She could feel his release coating her insides and all she could do was let out a throaty little moan that nearly had him standing at attention once more.

Damon lay his head down on her heaving chest, trying to regain his bearings as he panted. Her legs had wrapped around his waist and her arms around his back, holding him to her tightly. He gave a few more lazy thrusts inside of her before he moved to get off of her.

"No…just stay, please," she whimpered, holding him tighter.

He chuckled, albeit breathlessly, "I'm not going anywhere, baby. I was just going to get off of you so I could hold you."

Elena squeezed him tighter, "No…I want you right here. I want to fall asleep with you inside me."

"How about this," Damon said before flipping them. He was now on his back and Elena was curled onto his chest, his softened cock still nestled inside of her. He smirked as she purred in contentment, "This better, baby?"

She nodded sleepily against his chest as she murmured, "I love you, Damon."

He smiled and stroked her naked back softly. He had finally got the girl and he sure as hell wasn't going to let her go now. She meant everything to him and he would do anything for her. Placing a kiss to the top of her head, he softly said, "I love you, too, baby. Always."

* * *

 **Be sure to leave a review!**

 **~Grace**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hi, guys! I know this is a day late and it's sort of a filler chapter, but it's still necessary! This story will probably be rapped up in the next 5-6 chapters. I'll be opening a survey and there will be a link to it on my page to help determine the next story, so be sure to check it out!**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 _I think with my heart and I move with my head._

 _I open my mouth and it's something I've read._

 _I stood by this door before, I'm told._

 _But part of me knows that I'm growing too old._

Come With Me Now by Kongos

* * *

 **Chapter 14**

Damon awoke to the sunlight drifting through the window of his bedroom. He groaned and rolled over, nearly squishing the woman that was curled up beside him. Blinking owlishly, he looked down at the mess of chestnut hair that was covering his chest and smiled as soon as his memories from last night came flooding back to him.

He finally had been able to make love to Elena.

He finally had the girl of his dreams in his bed and in his heart.

His hand stroked her hair from her face as he murmured, "You're so beautiful…"

Elena fidgeted, scrunching her nose as she opened her mahogany eyes and looked up at him. A lazy smile came across her face, "Mm, good morning, handsome."

"Good morning to you, too, gorgeous," he replied before ducking his head and placing a languid kiss to her plush lips, "You know, I could get used to this."

Her brows furrowed slightly, "Used to what?"

"Waking up next to my beautiful girlfriend after I spent the night worshipping her perfect body," he said softly.

"Oh," she blushed. Her fingers trailed over his chest, tracing the muscles beneath. She was _so_ happy that she had decided to come back. She peeked up at him, surprised at the content smile on his face. Giggling, she asked, "What's that face?"

He made a sound in the back of his throat, brushing the hair away from her neck, "What face?"

Sighing happily, she leaned into his touch, "That face."

Damon gave her that sexy little smirk of his and rolled his eyes slightly, "I'm happy," he said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world before he cupped her cheek and kissed her senseless.

* * *

"Come on, baby," Damon tried to coerce her, "I don't want you working tonight. Besides, I thought we could go and walk around Times Square."

Elena sighed as she pulled on her shorts, "Times Square? And here I was sure when I finally slept with you, you'd want to keep me in your bed for a week..."

"Is that an option?" He asked, prowling behind her as his eyes darkened with lust, "Because I would _much rather_ do that."

She giggled, "No, Damon. Besides, I haven't been to work in almost a month…"

"Don't remind me," he groaned, flopping back on the bed and sighing, "Customers have been dwindling lately. I might have to go scouting again."

"I'll be coming back though," she argued, sliding her belt on and buckling it.

Damon snorted, "I don't want you dancing anymore. I'll find something else for you to do at the club."

She stilled slightly. She felt as if her worst fear was coming to the surface. Damon didn't want her dancing, ergo he was ashamed of her. She bit her lip and looked away, trying to keep her tears at bay.

"Baby?" He asked, noticing her sudden change of attitude and sitting up straight, "What's wrong? What did I say?"

Elena swallowed thickly, trying not to let her voice shake, "Are you ashamed of me because I'm a stripper?"

He wanted to slap himself. He knew that she had image issues when it came to being a dancer and him, being stupid, had sounded like he was ashamed of her. Leaping off of the bed, he went to her, cupping her small face in his hands, "I'm not ashamed of you, Elena. Not even a little bit. But the thought of other men looking at you when you're _mine_ …it just makes me angry."

"Really?" She laughed despite herself. Her worries seemed to wash away as he held her.

"Really," he said softly, "I love you, Elena Marie Gilbert."

Tilting her face upwards, she caught his lips with hers, "And I love _you_ , Damon Christian Salvatore."

* * *

"Wait, are you serious?" Damon drunkenly sputtered, looking up at the building in front of him.

She and Damon had spent the better part of the night hopping from bar to bar and drinking way more than they should. Currently, they were stumbling around Times Square standing in front of a tattoo parlor with obnoxious flashing red lights.

"Come on!" Elena said, dragging him towards the door, "I've never gotten a tattoo before!"

"And I have?" He snorted, but allowed himself to be dragged inside anyway.

"Hi, can I help you?" A blonde girl asked that was sitting behind the counter.

Elena nodded enthusiastically, "Yes please."

"Would you like to see a book of some of our artists' work?"

After Elena nodded again, the girl presented her with the book and she and Damon flipped through it eagerly. They passed over repulsive couple tattoos and the like, trying to figure out what to get.

"What do you want?" She asked, looking over at him.

He shrugged, "I'm too drunk for this. You could probably convince me to get a tattoo of a sparkly hot pink unicorn on my ass and I wouldn't know the difference."

"What about this?" Elena asked, pointing to a simple script tattoo, " _Hic et nunc_."

"Here and now…" Damon recalled from his practically failed attempt at Latin in high school. He slowly nodded, "I like it. What are you getting?"

She gave him a coy smile, "It's a surprise."

After talking to the artists, they led Damon and Elena to their separate rooms. Damon was slightly apprehensive, but as soon as he saw Elena's smile, it made it worth it. Besides, it was only something that was going to be on his body for the rest of his life.

Elena lay on the table, talking to the tattoo artist. She had decided to get a single word inked underneath her left breast, right above her ribcage.

"Are you sure about this?" The artist asked as he put on a pair of gloves, "These things are forever, y'know."

She lay there for a second, thinking about it. Even with her mind muddled by alcohol she was sure of her decision. She wanted this and she knew she wouldn't regret it later on.

* * *

It had been almost a week since their little escapade in Times Square and Elena still hadn't let Damon see what she had gotten inked onto her skin. He proudly displayed his tattoo on his right forearm and had been dying to see hers.

"Please?" Damon begged when they were laying in bed, "I don't even know where it is!"

She laughed to herself. The new lingerie she had bought had covered it nicely and she wasn't quite ready for him to see it just yet. Rolling over, she kissed his lips softly, "You'll see it soon. I want it to finish healing first."

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, kissing her back, "I was actually thinking about something…"

"Oh?"

"I want to take you home. I want you to meet my family," he said quickly, a little worried about her reaction, "Stefan has a business trip to Chicago this weekend and I figured it would be nice for you to meet them without him being there…"

Elena felt herself nodding slowly, "Yeah. That would be good."

"And I could meet your parents, too," he suggested, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Yeah," she swallowed hard. She still hadn't told him about her parents dying and she was still too scared to say anything. She didn't want him to treat her any differently when he learned of her life. Putting on a fake smile, she said, "I'll let them know we're coming."

* * *

The plane ride was tedious to say the least, but Damon had tried very hard to entertain her. Elena seemed to fidget more than usual and he chalked it up to her being nervous; she was still so young.

"I called and let my mom know we were coming," Damon said as he drove towards the Boarding House, "She was happy, but I think Stefan got to her when he came to visit."

"What do you mean?" She asked, her brows furrowing slightly, "He was here when I was…"

"And he probably said something to my mom about the shape I was in," he sighed, finishing her thought, "And Italian mothers are very protective of their children and we both know that Stefan can paint a _pretty_ picture when he wants to."

Elena groaned, "Great. She hasn't even met me yet and she probably already hates me."

He reached over and took her hand in his, making the final turn onto their street, "She'll love you once she gets to know you."

She nodded mutely and they sat in silence until the car rolled to a stop in front of the Salvatore Boarding House. She stared up at it, amazed by how beautiful it was. The architecture was to die for; all original to the foundation and screamed vintage.

"Yeah…" Damon said, scratching the back of his neck as they got out of the car, "It's a little overwhelming when you see it for the first time."

She looked around at the property, "It's just so _big_."

"That's what she said," he quipped with a smirk as he pulled their bags from the trunk, "But, seriously, it's a _boarding house_ , babe. It's supposed to be big."

Elena shrugged, "It just seems so impersonal to live here. Like it's…too much house for a family."

He agreed, "It wasn't easy living here. Especially when all the kids in school thought that it was haunted. I didn't even get to have sleepovers."

"Oh, shut up!" She laughed, smacking his arm playfully.

Damon's witty retort was interrupted as the front door swung open and a woman rushed to him, wrapping her arms around his neck as she cried, "Oh! My _ragazzo_!"

His eyes lit up as he hugged the woman back with the hand that wasn't carrying the bags, "Hey, Ma."

His mother pulled back and put her hands on his cheeks, looking him over, "It's been too long! Stefan's visits more than you do."

As Damon made up some excuse, Elena stood there awkwardly. She had no idea what to say or do and she didn't want to interrupt what seemed like a private exchange.

Damon's father had trailed behind his wife, his hands in his pockets as he looked at his family. Turning to Elena, he gave her a warm smile and extended his hand, "Hello. I'm Damon's father, Giuseppe, but you can call me Beppe."

Elena took his hand gratefully and smiled, "I'm Elena."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Elena," he smiled before grabbing the bags from Damon and extending his arm to her, "They're probably going to be awhile and I'd rather wait inside, wouldn't you?"

"Sounds lovely."

Lily waited until Elena and Giuseppe were inside before giving Damon a look of anger, "Elena? I _know_ that's not the _ragazza_ that broke both my sons' hearts, now is it?"

Damon sighed, running a nervous hand through his thick raven hair, "Look, I don't know what Stefan told you, but Elena wasn't involved with him. They went on one date and she decided that they weren't a good fit. As far as I know, they never even kissed, Ma. He has no right to claim that she broke his heart."

"But she broke yours?" She asked hesitantly, picking up on what was left unsaid as she looked up and met the blue eyes that were so much like her own.

He pursed his lips, an air of bitterness seeming to surround him, "Yes. She left without a word and I didn't see her for almost two weeks. But she came back. She came back to _me_."

Lily pulled her son into another hug, "I'm glad she came back. Stefan said she was from here, no?"

"Yeah," he said pulling back, a smile on his face, "I don't know how I never noticed her when I was younger, but she's been here her entire life."

She studied his face, noticing how it lit up whenever he spoke of this girl. His eyes became wide and animated, his smile nearly blinding. Giving him a small smile herself, she said coyly, "You love her, don't you, _ragazzo_?"

"Yeah," he repeated, a sigh of contentment leaving his lips, "I love Elena Gilbert more than I've ever loved anyone."

"What?" Lily asked, her eyes widening suddenly, "She's a _Gilbert_? That poor girl…"

"Ma? What're you talking about?" Damon asked, his demeanor changing from elated to panicked in a matter of seconds.

"Her parents…" She started, worrying her bottom lip slightly as she looked at her son sadly, "Grayson and Miranda were on the Founders' Council like your father and I. They were driving home from picking their daughter, Elena, up from a party and on the way home they swerved off of Wickery Bridge. They died last summer. I knew their son was still here, but I heard Elena left to try to support them."

Damon stilled. Elena's parents were dead? Why hadn't she told him? Sadness overwhelmed him as he thought of the reasons why Elena had left her life and him behind in New York to care for her brother. He supposed she actually wasn't lying when she said that her parents weren't part of the picture.

"Damon?" Lily asked, pulling him from his thoughts, "Are you okay?"

Shaking his head to dispel his thoughts, he answered, "Yeah, I just didn't know. It explains a lot actually…"

"You aren't going to treat her any differently, are you?" She asked, a slight edge in her voice, "She's still the girl you love, _ragazzo_. And I'm sure she had her reasons for not telling you just yet."

"I would never treat her differently," he instantly protested, "I _do_ love her. I'm not mad that she didn't tell me."

"Good," Lily said, giving him a small smile, "Now let's go inside so I can properly meet that girl of yours."

* * *

 **So...what do you think Elena got inked? ;)**

 **Be sure to leave a review!**

 **~Grace**


	15. Chapter 15

**Hope you all enjoy this chapter! OH! And please go take the survey for a new story! Go to SurveyMonkey .com and put r/6QDNQSR at the end!**

* * *

 _I'm humming like a revved up truck._

 _Never mind the odds, I'm gonna try my luck with her._

 _Just tell me when you've had enough; I'm dangerous 'cause I'm a fool for love._

Fool For Love by Lord Huron

* * *

 **Chapter 15**

"Your home is beautiful, Beppe," Elena said as she walked through the foyer of the Salvatore Boarding House, "I've never really seen the house before."

Giuseppe smiled, "It's been in our family for generations. I believe it was built in 1867, after all the nasty business in 1865."

"Nasty business?" She repeated dumbly as she looked at the architecture of the house, "What do you mean?"

He smiled, motioning to the couch and she sat beside him, "As you know, our town is _famous_ for it's ghost stories. In 1865, it was said that a group of vampires had moved into the town and began infiltrating the Founding Families."

"Vampires?" Elena snorted, "That's ridiculous."

He laughed, "Indeed it is, but back then people didn't have a lot to entertain themselves with. I believe they reveled in simply making up stories to pass the time. However, the _vampires_ were thought to have been rounded up and executed in a church not too far from here. And, somehow, the original Salvatore plantation home was burned down. Obviously, they still needed a place to live, so they built this beauty."

"It _is_ beautiful," she admired, taking in the small details of the mantle and the fireplace below it, "The wood alone for this house must've been ridiculous. Especially back then."

"Thankfully, our family owned one of the only lumber mills around," he explained, smiling at how she was so interested in their history. "We got a good deal," he winked.

Elena stood up and walked around the parlor, her fingers trailing along the surfaces of the room. She always had a soft spot for history and to be in a home that was 150 years older than her was beyond mesmerizing. Each crack of wood, each perfectly whittled detail told a story that had long since passed.

"Elena? I understand that you're a Gilbert, correct?" Giuseppe asked hesitantly. He didn't want to bring up her family, but he wanted to make sure he didn't say anything to offend her later.

She turned around, caught of guard with his question, but she nodded slowly, "I forgot what it's like in such a small town," she looked down, wringing her hands, "My parents were Grayson and Miranda."

"I was very sad to hear of their passing," he said, standing up and walking to her. He gently stilled her hands, causing her to look up at him, "Your parents were good people; I'm sorry you lost them."

Elena stilled slightly. Normally when she told people about her parents, they became teary-eyed and quiet; they never knew quite what to say to comfort an orphan. She nodded, a small smile on her face, "Thank you."

Giuseppe stepped away from her, looking at the broken eighteen-year-old in front of him. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Does Damon know?"

She shook her head violently, "I haven't told him yet. I was…waiting for a better time. I've been meaning to do it since I got back to New York, but the timing was just never right. I just…I don't want him to look at me any differently."

"My son is many things, Elena," he said, a slight smile pulling at his lips, "He can be callous and rude or complicated and angry, but underneath what New York has made of him, he is still a good man. I heard about what happened with Stefan and I must apologize. My youngest son is very…volatile when he wants to be and I'm very sorry you had to see that part of him. But just seeing you and my son outside made me realize that _you_ make him happy. And Damon hasn't been happy in a very long time."

She smiled, feeling her chest fill with pride, "He makes me happy, too. I'm lucky that he found me in such a busy city."

"My dear, he's lucky that _you_ found _him_."

* * *

"So, Elena, how long have you and Damon been together?" Lily asked over the dinner table.

After proper introductions had been made and the couple had been settled in Damon's old bedroom, Lily had insisted on making a late dinner. Elena and Damon sat across from each other with Lily and Giuseppe each at the opposite heads of the table.

"Uh, a little over a month," Elena said softly, "I think."

Damon sighed internally. His mother had been firing off questions as soon as they sat down to eat and it was beginning to anger him. Elena was trying to answer the questions to the best of her ability, but some of the questions he didn't even have answers to.

Lily nodded, "That's nice. Are you two living together _already_?"

"Yes," Damon answered, his eyes glinting slightly, "The lease was up on her apartment and she's welcome to stay with me for as long as she needs."

"What did you go to school for, Elena?" His mother asked, pursing her lips at her son's answer.

"Ma, that's enough," Damon bit out, placing his fork down on his plate with a loud clang, "You don't need to interrogate her."

The older woman huffed, "I'm just trying to learn more about the girl who's stole my _ragazzo's_ heart. Is that a crime?"

"Lily," Giuseppe said warningly, "Can we all just enjoy a meal without twenty questions, please? I'm sure Damon and Elena are tired after their flight and would like to retire to bed soon."

Lily bristled slightly, "Of course. We'll have plenty of time to _talk_ during the weekend."

* * *

"I'm pretty sure your mom hates me," Elena said as she collapsed onto Damon's bed. She rolled over and stared at the ceiling with her brows creased, "I don't know what Stefan told her, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't want me with you."

Damon groaned, pulling off his jacket and taking off his belt, "She's just trying to get a feel for you. I haven't brought a girl home in…a very long time. She's got my best interests at heart and she just wants to make sure you get along with the family."

She stilled slightly, looking up at him, "And what if I don't?"

"What if you don't what?" He asked, focusing on his shoes as he kicked them off.

She took a deep breath, "What if I don't get along with your family? I mean, your mom already seems to hate me and Stefan, well, is _Stefan_ and-"

"You've already won over my dad if that means anything," Damon said with a smirk as he pulled off his shirt, "And my dad isn't an easy person to get along with at all. He'll talk to my mom and I'm sure he'll sort everything out."

"I really like your dad," Elena admitted with a smile, "He's really easy to talk to."

He snorted, "Are you sure you were talking to _Giuseppe Salvatore_? That man is…well, he's something else. He doesn't really _talk_ to anyone."

"Well, he talked to me," she replied, getting up and digging through her suitcase.

Damon took advantage of her position and moved behind her. Grabbing her hips, he pressed her bottom against his groin and she stilled. He leaned down and pressed kisses against her spine through her shirt as he whispered, "Should I be worried, then? Going after the eldest Salvatore, little lady?"

She giggled and straightened up before turning around in his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips reassuringly, "The only Salvatore I want is you."

"You better," he all but growled as he trailed his lips down her jaw and to her neck, "I'm not letting you out of my sight again."

She giggled at his possessiveness as her hands went to his jeans, "You know…I've been feeling a little neglected today. You haven't touched me in a couple days…"

His blue eyes widened slightly, "Oh yeah, baby? Well, how can I fix that?"

"Well, we're all alone in here," she murmured softly, placing kisses against his broad chest before she dropped gracefully to her knees in front of him, "And I've _missed_ you."

Damon sucked in a shaky breath as he watched his girl tug down his jeans and boxers in a single swoop. He swore h stopped breathing as her small hand wrapped around his shaft and gripped it firmly, moving up and down at a steady pace.

She loved seeing him like this. Peeking up at him through her thick lashes, she carefully placed him in her mouth and laved her tongue along the underside of his cock. His eyes were closed as his hand found its way to her hair. He guided her mouth up and down, being sure to be gentle with her.

"Ah, fuck, 'Lena…" he gasped out, tangling his hand further into her long locks. She may have only done this to him before, but she was _amazing_ at it. His masculine pride swelled whenever he thought about being with her first. No man would ever touch her as he had, he'd make sure of it.

Elena could feel him start to tense under her ministrations. She doubled her efforts and took him all the way down her throat, delighting when a breathy whimper passed his lips. Before she knew what was happening, he held her mouth down as he came. Sure not to waste a drop, she dutifully swallowed around him, causing him to moan out once more.

"You're…going to…kill me one day," he panted out before kicking his jeans off and wrestling her to the bed.

She giggled up at him as he pulled her into a sloppy kiss. His hand ghosted down her side and under her shirt, groaning at how perfect she felt under his hands. Damon could touch her all day and never grow tired of it.

"I love you," she said softly after their lips parted, "I love you so much."

He looked down at the olive beauty under him and couldn't help the smile of contentment that crept onto his face, "I love you, too, baby."

* * *

"What did you gain from tonight, Lily?" Giuseppe asked his wife as they sat in the parlor.

He had been beyond embarrassed for his wife's behavior. She had no right to give Elena the third degree on her first night there.

"What are you talking about?" She answered, choosing to look at the magazine in her lap a little more closely, "I just wanted to know more about the girl whom both are sons are infatuated with."

He sighed, "Is that what you think this is? That they're merely infatuated with her? Perhaps Stefan is, yes. He tends to get a certain mindset when he wants something, but we both know that Damon is nothing like that. Damon doesn't normally pursue woman to have a relationship and he certainly doesn't ask them to move in with them."

"She's just so young…" Lily murmured, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth, "Damon is twenty-six. She's still a child!"

Giuseppe stood up and glared at his wife, "Do you honestly think that age has anything to do with love? Shouldn't our relationship mute that? Damon has never been protective of a woman in his life, yet he was willing to stand up to you tonight for her. He loves her, Lily, and I'm sure she loves him, too. And nothing we say or do will change that."

"Good Lord, Beppe, she hasn't even been honest with him!" Lily said, standing and facing off against her husband, "He didn't even know her parents were dead. She didn't tell him!"

"And you thought it was your place to tell him for her?"

"Yes!" She cried, turning away from him and taking a deep breath, "A relationship cannot be built on lies-"

"She wasn't ready to tell him yet," he said softly, causing her to face him once more, "I already talked to her about it when they got here. She hasn't found the right time to tell him yet."

Lily's mouth opened and closed a few times at a loss for words, "I-I didn't know you spoke with her."

"She may be young, I'm not denying that," he said, pursing his lips, "But she's been through a lot. She can make her own decisions and so can our son. I won't allow you to try to take that happiness away from him."

"I'm not trying to-"

"Perhaps you should go visit Stefan this weekend," Giuseppe said coldly, "I hear he's in Chicago. You should go and make a vacation out of it."

* * *

 **Be sure to leave a review and please take the survey!**

 **~Grace**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi guys! I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

* * *

 _Where'd you go?_

 _I miss you so._

 _Seems like it's been forever that you've been gone._

 _Please come back home._

Where'd You Go by Fort Minor

* * *

 **Chapter 16**

"What's with the bags, Ma?" Damon asked as he came downstairs the next morning.

His mother was standing in front of the door with a suitcase next to her and her purse in hand. She looked as if she had been crying, but Damon wasn't sure.

Lily straightened herself and gave her son a frosty look, "I'm going to spend time with Stefan in Chicago. He actually _wants_ to spend time with his mother."

Damon sighed, "If this is about last night-"

"Of course it is!" She hissed, "All I was trying to do was get to know the new woman in your life and you took offense to everything I asked!"

He took a deep breath, trying to conceal his anger as he said, "Your questions were uncalled for. You _know_ she's only eighteen, but you asked her the questions you would ask a woman that almost thirty! She doesn't have all the answers yet and she's not supposed to-"

"If she's so young, then why are you with her, Damon?" Lily bit back, not trying to hide the venom in her voice, "Stefan's closer in age to her than you are. You should've let them have a chance-"

"Stop," he seethed, his blue eyes turning dark, "I don't know what little sob story Stefan told you, but even if I didn't love her, I wouldn't let her be with him. Did he tell you what he did to her? He _assaulted_ her, Ma. He left bruises on her. So, the next time you think Stefan is so damn saintly, remember _that_."

Lily watched in shock as Damon walked out of the foyer. She knew that her youngest could be rough when he wanted to be, but she never thought that he would hurt someone; especially not a fragile eighteen-year-old.

Shaking her head, she went outside to wait for the cab, leaving the animosity and shame behind her.

* * *

Elena woke up to the bed dipping beside her. She peeked open her eyes and blinked at how bright the room was. It must have been almost noon as she rolled onto her back and stretched in a cat-like manor.

"Mmm, good morning, kitten," Damon purred as he ducked down and kissed her lips softly.

She jerked away and covered her mouth in embarrassment, "Ew, no."

"What?" His brows furrowed in confusion as he looked at her.

"Morning breath," she shrugged, moving to get up.

However, her boyfriend was having none of that. In a matter of seconds, Elena was lying on her back again with Damon hovering on top of her. He gave her a little smirk, "I don't care about that. All I want to do is kiss my girl senseless."

And that's exactly what he did.

Over and over again until she was gasping for breath.

He pulled away and pulled her into sitting position next to him. She looked at him, puzzled at how he was already showered and dressed. Pursing her lips, she asked, "How long have you been up?"

"Since nine," he shrugged, "I wanted to get up early and make you breakfast."

Elena smiled, "You didn't have to make me breakfast."

He looked relieved as he replied, "That's good because, uh, my dad kind of thought it was for him and it's gone."

"All of it?" She asked in surprise as she blinked owlishly at him.

"Salvatore men have a big appetite," he teased, pulling her into his lap, "You know that."

She leaned back in his embrace, enjoying how his arms instinctively wrapped around her waist. She had waited so long to be this comfortable with someone and it was finally happening. The happiness she felt with Damon was what she had been missing since her parents died and she never wanted this feeling to go away.

Sighing, she asked, "What did you have planned for today?"

He hummed against the back of her neck, placing soft kisses until he reached just underneath her ear, "I was thinking we could stay in bed and I could help you relieve some stress."

She giggled, "That actually sounds perfect."

"Oh, good," he smiled before placing her on her back and tugging down the pathetic excuse of lace that she called panties. She squirmed underneath him as he kissed up the inside of her thigh, nuzzling against the smooth olive skin, "God, you're so beautiful."

"Damon," she whined slightly, spreading her legs wider for him.

He couldn't keep his girl waiting any longer as he gently began lapping at her dripping folds. He was in love with how her small body responded to him; he would never tire of it.

Her hand reached down to tangle into his raven hair as her other hand clutched her breast while she moaned softly. He was more than talented with his tongue and he had her toes curling within seconds practically.

She squeaked in surprise as he took her button into his mouth and suckled on it carefully before he thrust a finger inside her. She could feel herself getting close as she thrust her hips against his mouth.

Damon smirked as he felt her core tighten. As soon as she finished her orgasm, he kissed his way up her body, unbuttoning the shirt of his she was wearing along the way.

"Wow," she breathed, trying to catch her breath, "I swear you get better at that every time."

He kissed her neck delicately after pulling off his own shirt, "No, you just get better at enjoying yourself every time."

She giggled as she reached down and unbuttoned his jeans before kicking them off with her feet. She needed to have him closer and she needed to have him closer _now_.

"Impatient, baby?" He chuckled, nuzzling his nose against hers as the head of his cock nudged her entrance.

Elena nodded shyly as she looked up at him, "I want you."

"You have me," he whispered as he pushed inside of her slowly. The feeling of being inside of her, this close to her, was one that he was sure would never be matched again in his entire life.

Being able to look at her when she was in the throes of passion because of him was a privilege he reveled in. He stroked the stray hair away from her face softly as her legs wrapped around his waist and pulled him closer against her.

Elena's shirt had fallen open and her breasts were rubbing deliciously against his bare chest. His thrusts were beginning to get harder and her nails dug into his shoulders as she moaned against him. She was moving her hips against his as best as she could, but he was faster.

"Ah, Damon, right there," she gasped out when he hit that perfect spot deep inside her. Her mahogany eyes closed as colors began to flicker behind her eyelids.

Damon increased his speed and kept the angle of his hips so he was pushing her in all the right places. His arms wound around her and held her small body to him as focused on her pleasure. His pelvic bone was hitting her clit with every stroke and she cried out as her second orgasm tore through her.

Damon grunted as he felt her core clamp down on him tightly, pushing him towards his own release, "Fuck, Elena."

He collapsed on top of her, careful to hold most of his weight as he soared from his high. Giving a few more lazy thrusts into her tight heat, he pulled out and rolled over, taking her with him.

"I love you," she panted, picking her head up off of his chest and giving him an exhausted smile.

He hugged her close to him and kissed her forehead softly, "I love you, too."

* * *

After their afternoon _sexcapade_ , Elena needed food. The couple ended up at the Mystic Grill for lunch and her face couldn't be more red as Damon continued to say dirty things while she tried to focus on the menu.

"Oh, come on, baby," he pushed, a smirk on his face, "You love that thing I do with my tongue, you always-"

"Damon!" Elena gasped in embarrassment, "Now is _not_ the time to be discussing any of that!"

He clicked his tongue at her, but decided against defying her. Looking over at her now, it was so easy to see why he had fallen in love with her. Her hair was tied into a sloppy bun atop her head, her nose was scrunched up as she read the menu, and her tongue was poking between her lips as she bit it and focused. She was the picture of adorable and he just couldn't get enough of her.

"Ah, there you two are," Giuseppe said, announcing his presence as he scooted Damon further into his side of the booth and sat next to him. His blue eyes focused on Elena and he gave her a warm smile, "Good afternoon, my dear. I trust my son hasn't been too much of an ass?"

"Dad!"

Elena giggled and shook her head, "No, Beppe, he's been a gentleman all day long."

Damon snorted, "I wouldn't say _all_ day long. I mean, I got you pretty good this-"

"Damon! Filter!"

Giuseppe fidgeted uncomfortably before he cleared his throat, "Anyway, since Lily's out of town, I was wondering if you both would still like to have dinner as a family tonight at the Boarding House."

Her brows furrowed slightly, "Lily's gone? Since when?"

"Since she couldn't keep her opinions to herself," the eldest Salvatore said, pursing his lips, "I suggested that she take a vacation and visit Stefan in Chicago for the weekend."

Elena instantly felt bad, "I'm sorry. If I wouldn't have come with Damon-"

"If you wouldn't have come with me, I wouldn't have come at all," Damon said, cutting her off, "My mother will learn to adjust; you're not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Neither is she," she pointed out.

"That is neither here nor there," Giuseppe said, waving his hand in dismissal, "Lily has always had a hard time when the boys have brought someone home, it's normal. However, for her to act the way she did at dinner last night was inexcusable and I apologize for that."

"Really, it's fine," she said softly, "It's her home and her family. She's just looking out for it is all. I can understand that."

* * *

After finishing their lunch at the Grill, Elena and Damon were walking aimlessly around town.

She had really been struggling with trying to find a good time to tell Damon about her family, yet nothing had seemed suitable yet. And Damon didn't like knowing the truth and not being able to say anything. He knew that she would tell him when she was ready, but it still felt like he was lying to her.

"Come on," Elena said, guiding him out of town a little ways, "I want you to meet someone."

He followed her wordlessly, knowing exactly where they were headed. He knew that this was a big step for her and he wanted to keep his mouth shut so he wouldn't accidently say anything that would spook her.

They began walking through the cemetery, passing graves that had long since been forgotten with time. As they entered the newer area, Elena stopped next to two headstones and gripped Damon's hand tightly.

Looking up at him, she whispered, "I know that I haven't told you that much about my family and this is why."

Damon looked down and he could see her parents' name etched on each headstone. He sighed and wrapped his arm around her waist, trying to support her in any way that he could.

"Mom, Dad, this is Damon," she said softly, "And, I'm kind of in love with him."

"Baby…"

She sniffled, "They died last year and I just didn't want you to look at my any differently. I didn't want you to pity me or-or-"

He pulled her into a hug, wrapping his arms around her small frame and resting his chin on top of her head, "I know, baby. It's okay. I understand why you didn't say anything."

She wrapped her arms around him and clutched him tightly; afraid she would lose him if she dared let go. Damon didn't seem to mind, he just held her. He wanted her to feel safe and loved by him.

Elena pulled away after a few minutes and looked up at him, "What did I do right to deserve you?"

"Oh, baby," he chuckled, brushing a few wet strands of hair away from her face before gazing deep into her doe eyes, "I think the real question is what did _I_ do right to deserve _you_?"

She got on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, "You did everything right. Because if you were to change even one thing, it would've never led you to me."

* * *

 **Be sure to leave a review, please!**

 **~Grace**


	17. Chapter 17

**I'm having WiFi problems, but I'm able to use my phone as a hotspot for now. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

 _So, if you made it, just be glad that you did and stay there._

 _If you ever feel loved or needed, remember that you're one of the lucky ones._

The Perfect Ending by Straylight Run

* * *

 **Chapter 17**

"Jeremy!" Elena called as she and Damon walked inside her house.

After leaving the cemetery, she thought it would be a good idea if Damon actually met the remaining member of her family. He went along with it without fuss; he wanted to know everything about the girl who had captured his heart.

"Yeah?" A voice called from the kitchen, "'Lena?"

Taking his hand, she led him into the kitchen and smiled at her brother attempting to cook.

Jeremy gave the pair a weird look before he cleared his throat, "I'm gonna take a wild guess and assume this is the guy you left me for?"

"Damon Salvatore," Damon introduced himself, holding out his hand with a small smirk on his face.

Jeremy took it and gave a smile of his own, "Jeremy, but I'm sure you already knew that. Salvatore, huh? Any relation to Beppe?"

The raven-haired man looked at him wide eyed. When he was growing up, his father didn't concern himself with anything, so how would he know a simple teenager. He nodded slightly, "Yeah, Giuseppe's my father."

"That's cool," Jeremy said, turning back to the stove and stirring around the noodles that were boiling, "He comes into the Grill a lot and makes small talk."

Damon couldn't help but smile. Maybe Giuseppe was trying after all.

"How are you and Anna?" Elena asked, sitting down at the table and pulling her boyfriend along with her, "Is she okay with you moving for school?"

"Anna and I are fine," Jeremy assured her as he drained the noodles, "She'll finish up her senior year next year and then she'll come move in with me. She wants to get out of this small town and her mom's a real control freak."

"That's good," she nodded, lacing her fingers with Damon's under the table, "I, uh, have something I want to talk to you about."

Her brother looked up and furrowed his brows, "You're not pregnant, are you?"

"What? No!" Elena gasped, "Why-why would you even think that?"

"I know you're sleeping with him," he conceded, pointing the wooden spoon he was holding at the raven-haired man before looking back at his sister, "You were _never_ like this over a guy in high school. _Ever_. I thought you and Matt…but he said no. So, I'm pretty sure he was your first-"

"Jeremy!" She said loudly, effectively cutting him off, "I'm _so_ not having this conversation with my brother." She sighed and took a deep breath, " _Any_ way, I'm not pregnant, so you can cross that off your list. I was actually wondering about how you would feel about selling the house. You'll be in Colorado and I'll be in New York…it'll just add up to another bill to pay and-"

"Go for it," Jeremy said, dishing out the food that had finished and taking his place across the table from her, "We don't need it. We can split the profits and maybe buy something a little smaller for when we visit town. Besides, we still have the lake house."

"I don't want to sell the lake house," she admitted quietly.

"Neither do I," he agreed through a mouth of food.

Damon spoke up, looking between the two siblings, "I can have my realtor come by and get this place on the market if you want. It shouldn't be hard to sell at all and he'll get a good price for it."

"Great," Jeremy said, smiling.

Elena relaxed some. That conversation had went much better than she originally thought that it would. She had expected Jeremy to throw a fit and berate her for wanting to see their childhood home, but how he handled it merely confirmed that he was an adult.

* * *

"Mom, you know I'm glad that you decided to come, but _why_ did you?" Stefan asked, perplexed when he picked his mother up from the airport.

Lily sighed and looked out the window, "Sometimes I feel that it's my fault for how my family has drifted apart. Your father seems taken with your brother's girlfriend and-"

"What?" He asked, glancing at her before returning his green gaze to the road, "Damon and Elena are there? Why aren't you, then?"

"Giuseppe thought it would be best if I spent some time away. Apparently, he felt that my way of getting to know the girl was too much. Besides, your father and I haven't seen eye to eye in a long while; it was bound to fall apart eventually."

"Fall apart?" He mimicked, panic rising in his chest, "What's falling apart?"

"Our marriage," Lily said simply, "I always thought he was too rough on you boys and now it seems as if the tables have turned. We tried to work it out for years after you and Damon left home, but we lost what brought us together. Simply put: we were merely holding it together for the two of you."

Stefan gripped the wheel tighter, begging himself to calm down. The thought of his parents' marriage deteriorating was enough to send him barreling over the edge, but he couldn't. Not right now.

He took a deep breath, "Then what's going to happen?"

"I think I'll go away for awhile," she answered, "I need some time away to reassess my life and figure out what I truly want. I just know that Giuseppe and I will never agree on Elena and I don't want to take away Damon's happiness."

Stefan nodded, "If you think that's what's best, I'll support you. Are you sure that Dad won't mind?"

"Stefan, he hasn't been involved in anything I do for some time now. He's actually been going into town and getting to know people again to avoid being home alone with me. And when he absolutely has to be home, he holes himself up in his office and buried himself with work. It's not a healthy relationship to have and I think after all this time that we both deserve happiness."

* * *

Elena helped Damon with the dinner that night, upholding what they had agreed to with his father. Apparently, family meals used to be a big thing in the Salvatore house, but since the boys moved away, it had been dwindling.

"This is delicious, _mio caro_ ," Giuseppe said, taking a bite of ravioli.

Elena blushed, "Don't thank me, Beppe. Damon did most of the work, I was just a puppet."

"A beautiful puppet at that," Damon added, a smirk flittering across his handsome face.

If Elena's face could be redder, she was sure she'd be a tomato. She smiled and dug into her food, the room silent except a few grateful murmurs.

She could get used to this. It seemed as if she hadn't had a proper sit-down meal in forever and she actually felt at home with Damon and his father. Giuseppe seemed like a hard man to get along with on the outside, but Elena was content with how he was. He defended her and made sure she was taken care of and that meant the world to her.

As soon as they were finished with their dinner, Elena got up and took the dishes to the kitchen before emerging with dessert. She was actually quite proud of herself for this and had worked hard while Damon left her alone earlier.

"Dessert?" Damon asked, his eyes twinkling, "Now, I _know_ I didn't oversee the making of this."

She smiled as she set the cheesecake down on the table along with a few small plates, "Not everything needs your approval, Mr. Salvatore. I'm sure this will be edible all the same."

"You better keep this one around for awhile," Giuseppe said, taking a bite of the dessert, " _Molto delizioso, principessa_!"

She gathered that he approved and she smiled widely, "Thank you." She turned to Damon and smirked, "And does it live up to your expectations?"

Damon smirked and took a few bites, chewing critically. He made a whole scene out of the inspection of her dessert before he nodded, "I suppose it's good-"

"If he doesn't want it, then I'll take it," Giuseppe cute in, "I'm sure the guys at the office would _love_ this."

"Then it's a good thing I had enough ingredients to make a second one, isn't it, Beppe?" She laughed.

She needed this more than she realized. She was happy and in love; safe and secure. And no one was going to take that away from her.

* * *

Elena and Damon lay in bed later that night, both quiet, but their minds full of thoughts. Today she had shown Damon the true fate of her parents and it seemed as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. The timing had never been quite right, but everything simply fell into place.

"What's going on in that beautiful head of yours?" He murmured, kissing the top of her head that lay on his chest.

She smiled, "Just thinking about how weird today has been. I know that I should be feeling a lot more emotions right now with…everything, but, to be honest, I'm pretty happy," she admitted, turning her head and gazing up at him, "It's been a long time since I've felt like I was part of a family and I like it. Even when my parents were alive, we didn't really do much together. My dad was a doctor and he was always on call while my mom spent most of her time with the Founding Families. I guess I kind of missed out on the normal part of life."

"That was kind of how my life used to be," Damon said quietly, running his fingertips up and down her spine, "My dad worked all the time and never had time for me and Stefan. Hell, my mom practically raised us by herself. But something's changed. My mom's much more outspoken than she used to be and my dad is actually…friendly for once. It's a weird concept to grasp."

She giggled, "It looks like everything is finally working out for once."

Damon fidgeted slightly, a question nagging the back of his mind, "Hey, 'Lenababy?"

She closed her eyes, "Yeah?"

"What if you were pregnant?" He all but whispered, slightly fearing the answer.

"What?" Her brows furrowed as she opened her eyes and gazed into his blue depths, "Where did that come from?"

He wet his lips and sighed, "Your brother got me thinking today…what if you _were_ pregnant? I mean, we don't use condoms and I honestly didn't give it much thought, but-"

"I'm on the pill, Damon," she laughed, "I have been since I was fifteen because my dad thought my boyfriend was going to knock me up. We don't have to worry about that."

"Let's just say _hypothetically_ you were pregnant. What would happen?"

Elena thought about it for a minute, but he mind came up blank. She blinked at him, "I don't know. What would you _want_ to happen?"

"Do you want to have kids?"

"Well, yeah-"

"With me?" He asked, sounding nervous.

She let out a sigh of relief as she climbed on top of him and cradled his face in her hands, "Is that was this is all about? Are you worried that I don't want to have kids with you?"

Damon looked away, "I know I'm not the best role model in the world, but-"

"Of course I want to have kids with you, you idiot," she smiled, pressing her lips against his, "But just not right now, if we can help it. I want to spend some time enjoying you right now and I don't want to share you with anyone yet."

"What if you change your mind?" He asked desperately, searching her chocolate gaze, "What if three or five years down the road you decide that you don't want me anymore?"

Elena paused, knowing this was the perfect time for the big reveal. She smiled and took off her tank top slowly before reaching her hands behind her back.

"If you're trying to distract my from my insecurities by using sex, it's working," he smiled, staring at her chest.

She smiled and shook her head, "I'm trying to show you how much I love you and how sure I am of us." And with that, she unhooked her bra and tossed it away.

Damon was sure he was drooling at the sight of her, but right under her left breast he caught the trail of ink. With his brows furrowed, he delicately palmed her breast and was able to read what was inscribed beneath.

"Does that say…?" He trailed off, his heart hammering with what that could mean.

"Yeah," she nodded, biting her bottom lip, "I was sure of you then and I'm sure of you now. I love you, Damon Salvatore and I intend to spend the rest of my life with you. Kids or no kids, New York or Mystic Falls, rich or poor. You're what I've been missing in my life and I need you. I promise I won't quit on you in _three or five years_. I'm in this with you for the long haul."

Tears gathered in his eyes as he gently kissed the ink on her skin, relishing in the fact that she loved him enough to do that. He reached up and cradled her face as he kissed her with a passion that couldn't be matched.

Elena Gilbert had finally found her piece of forever after everything she had been through and she was going to stick with him come hell or high water. Damon was it for her and she couldn't be happier.

He pulled away from her lips, letting out a ragged breath as he palmed her breast once more and sat up. He brushed his lips against her olive skin and smiled at the ink that read _Salvatore_.

* * *

 **Be sure to leave a review please!**

 **~Grace**


	18. Epilogue

**And this story has come to an end! I really like how it was wrapped up and I hope you all agree! I'll be coming out with a new Delena story in the beginning of November, so keep you eyes peeled!**

 **Thank you all for coming on this journey with me and helping me better my writing.**

 **Your reviews mean everything to me, so I want to thank each and every one of you!**

* * *

 _Nothing's too cool to take me from you._

 _New York is not just a tan you'll never lose._

Marry The Night by Lady Gaga

* * *

 **Epilogue**

 _Four years later_

"Damon! We're gonna be late!" Elena yelled quietly into one of the bedrooms as she rushed towards the bedroom, "Beppe will be here any minute."

Elena and Damon had finally tied the knot six months after the weekend they spent in Mystic Falls. He simply couldn't see putting it off any longer; he loved her too much to be without her, even for a second.

* * *

 _"_ _You know I love you, right?" Damon asked, taking her hand in his as they stood on porch of the Salvatore Boarding House, "You know I would do anything for you?"_

 _Elena laughed, "Of course I do, Damon. Where's all this coming from?"_

 _Three months ago he had found out what was written forever on her skin and ever since then he had wanted to make her his wife. Giuseppe had been on board and Damon had even asked Jeremy for his permission, which he granted easily._

 _"_ _Elena Marie Gilbert," he started, sinking down on one knee and keeping a hold of her hand, "I never thought that I'd settle down with anyone, but then you came along and changed everything. You've helped me realize the importance of family and you've stuck by me even though I'm a selfish bastard-"_

 _A laugh coming from the other side of the door interrupted him for a minute, but he shook it off with a smile._

 _"_ _The point is, I love you, baby. And I want to wake up next to you for the rest of my life," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a black velvet box before popping it open, "Elena Gilbert, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"_

 _The ring sparkled delicately in the box; it was simple silver band with a single flawless diamond adorning the center. It was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen._

 _Tears formed in her eyes as she nodded furiously, "Of course I'll marry you, you idiot!"_

 _He smiled at her term of endearment and slid the ring easily onto her finger before standing and scooping her into his arms. He kissed her like he would never stop and she couldn't believe that it was happening._

 _The door flung open and a pleased looking Giuseppe stood on the other side, practically yelling, "Finally!"_

* * *

Elena shook herself from her thoughts with a smile as she pulled the last of her hair up and pinned it. She and Damon didn't get much time to themselves anymore, but they were okay with it. Some things were worth the lack of sleep.

Slipping on her heels, she walked back to the bedroom she passed earlier and a smile came across her face. Damon sat on the edge of the pink bed, guitar in hand as he sang to the small child in the bed.

* * *

 _Elena was so nervous. She and Damon had been trying for a baby, of course, but she still felt nervous to check to little stick currently sitting in the bathroom._

 _She didn't want to look at it until Damon got home and she knew he'd be walking through the front door at any second. Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her skirt and smiled. She could do this; it was what they've been waiting for after all._

 _"_ _Hey, babe? You home?" Damon called as the front door opened and closed._

 _"_ _In the bedroom!" She yelled back, trying to keep the shaking out of her voice._

 _He trekked down the hall and smiled as his eyes landed on her sitting on their bed. Walking over to her, he kissed her on the forehead, "How was your day, baby?"_

 _She nodded, "It was good. I, uh, have some news."_

 _"_ _What?" His eyes widened slightly, noticing that she was acting strange._

 _"_ _Go look in the bathroom," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper._

 _Damon gave her a strange look, but followed her request. Walking in to the ensuite, he noticed a little white stick looking up at him from the sink. His heart was beating a mile a minute as he walked over to it and picked it up, a little plus sign staring back at him._

 _His throat constricted in happiness as he dropped it back onto the counter and stumbled into the bedroom. His smile was blinding as he asked, "Baby?"_

 _"_ _I didn't look at it," she said quickly, "I wanted you to be the first to know…in case…"_

 _She lost her train of thought as he knelt in front of her and wrapped his arms around her waist, "You're pregnant, babe. We're going to be parents. I'm going to be a_ dad _."_

 _The sobs that were threatening her finally broke free. She smiled through the tears and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "I can't believe it."_

 _"_ _Believe it, baby," he smiled, pulling away from her and kissing her softly, "We going to be_ parents _."_

* * *

She smiled at the memory. Finding out she was pregnant after almost a year of trying was a dream come true. They had many false alarms, but when it finally happened, they were more than ready.

Damon's voice drifted through her thoughts and her eyes snapped up to her husband and their daughter, making a smile pull at her lips.

"When you close your eyes and go to sleep tonight,

I'll be right outside your door.

Dreams will come and take you away,

Let them bring you back to me."

* * *

 _A little girl with chocolate ringlets and ice blue eyes stared up at her mother with a smile on her face as she asked, "Where's daddy, mama? I miss him!"_

 _Elena laughed and ruffled the girl's hair as she continued reading her book, "Daddy will be home soon, honey. Maybe he'll even play with your dollies with you when he gets here."_

 _Sure enough, not even ten minutes later, Damon strode through the door with a huge smile on his face, "There's my girls!"_

 _"_ _Daddy!" The girl yelled, running as fast as her little legs could carry her and flung herself at Damon._

 _He caught her easily and spun her around, "How's my little Harlow today? Did you have fun with mommy?"_

 _Harlow nodded eagerly, "Mama and I went to da zoo! I got to ride da elephantses!"_

 _"_ _The elephants?" He corrected with a chuckle._

 _"_ _Yeah!"_

 _He smiled and walked to the couch, ducking and kissing Elena softly, "Hi, baby. Did you have fun at the zoo, too?"_

 _"_ _Of course," she answered, smiling, "Beppe decided to join us. I don't know what I would do if he hadn't moved here."_

 _He smiled, "Well, my mom didn't give him much of a choice. It was either leave Mystic Falls or go through a nasty divorce."_

 _"_ _Her loss," she shrugged, taking Harlow from his arms and sitting her in her lap, "He's coming over to watch Harlow while we go out to dinner, I hope you don't mind."_

 _"_ _He's always welcome and he's the only one I trust with her," he said easily._

 _Damon's relationship with his father had gotten remarkably better. They were closer and had developed an even better bond with Stefan moved back to Mystic Falls to be closer to Lily. Lily wasn't at their wedding, nor had she even laid eyes on Harlow and that's the way he intended to keep it._

 _"_ _Nonno's coming?" Harlow asked excitedly, "Yay, Nonno!"_

* * *

"Flowers for your hair, rainbows for your eyes to see,

Your dreams are everywhere; they'll carry you away from me.

Away from me someday."

Elena walked in behind him and set her hand on her husband's shoulder. She gazed down at Harlow fast asleep as Damon strummed the last few notes.

"Have I told you how much I love you lately?" He murmured as he set down the guitar and turned towards her with a wide smile on his face.

She bit her lip and shook her head, "Not _too_ lately, but I'm always up for hearing it."

Laughing quietly, he stood and pulled her into his arms, "I love you so much that sometimes I'm certain that my heart is going to explode. You and Harlow are my life; I'd be lost without either of you."

"I love our little family," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and smiling.

"You, me, Harlow, and my dad," he chuckled, "It sounds like a perfect little family indeed."

Elena pulled away and looked up at him, "I love you, Mr. Salvatore."

Damon pressed a soft, passionate kiss to her full lips before he gently said, "And I love you, Mrs. Salvatore."

* * *

 **Please leave a review and let me know what you thought of this story as a whole (and this chapter of course)!**  
 _ **See ya on the flipside!**_ _**~Grace**_


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